Beginning Anew
by MoonSword1994
Summary: Commander Elissa Shepard has it all: great house, wonderful man, and loyal friends but will it last? Is there someone out there that will make her happier? Has the danger truly passed or is it just beginning? Rated M for language and future chapters. Shenko/Shoker. Bioware owns all characters. Read and Review!
1. Sweet Dreams Are Made of These

Commander Elissa Shepard awoke with a jolt, flashes of what had transpired several months ago were still before her eyes, even the breath she had taken during her dreams was still in her lungs. She exhaled slowly after realizing that she had been breathing the entire night much to her relief but her sudden jump from laying down to sitting up in bed had awoken her bedmate, Major Kaidan Alenko. Yawning, he stretched some and then sat up next to his love, wrapping his strong arm around her shoulders in an effort to try and comfort her since he knew what she had been dreaming about.

"You had the dream again," said Kaidan, pulling her closer to his chest, "you know you can tell me, Ella."

_Ella_, his pet name for her since they had shared their true feelings for each other those so many years ago on the _Normandy_, and hearing him say that still sent chills down her spine.

"It was right after I destroyed the Reapers," started Elissa, putting her knees up and resting her head on her hand, "the few minutes I spent between life and death, cold and afraid that I wouldn't wake up. I can still feel what it was like to not breathe, Kaidan. . . ."

Kaidan now had her between his legs with her back against his chest and both of his arms were wrapped around her body, his grip tightening when she started to talk about how close she had been to dying again. The thought of losing her again had been his motivation to get through the final battle against the Reapers and when he had found her lying in that pile of rubble, barely breathing, even now he could feel that rush of anxiety coursing through his veins.

"Hey, hey, there's no need to think about that anymore," said Kaidan, kissing the nape of her neck, "you're still here, alive and breathing, my favorite kind of Ella."

Elissa smiled, he was still the same old Kaidan whom she had loved since she first started on the _Normandy_ and saw him sitting in the co-pilot's chair next to Joker, "I love you, Kaidan."

"I love you too, Ella," replied Kaidan, his tone bittersweet, "I never thought we'd still be here to say that."

"Thank God," said Elissa, absentmindedly stroking Kaidan's morning stubble, "I'm glad so many of us were able to make it through."

"Not that I don't like our comrades," said Kaidan, "but I would've rather seen any one of them go in to that hellhole than to have watched you run in that direction."

"Since we're both up, do you wanna start on breakfast?" said Elissa, trying to change the subject quickly, "I'll make the French toast."

"You always did know how to motivate, Commander," laughed Kaidan, kissing Elissa's cheek.

They got up and went downstairs to their kitchen, Kaidan trying the entire time to snap Elissa's bra but she was able to out maneuver him at each turn. When they did arrive at the kitchen, Kaidan went to the fruit bowl on the island and pulled out several large oranges along with a kitchen knife from the drawer beneath the island. He sliced each one in half and put the halves on the new juicer and had fresh orange juice flowing into their glasses in just a few minutes while Elissa prepared the French toast and crispy bacon. After Kaidan had set the glasses on a tray, he went over to the refrigerator, grabbed a few eggs and the chorizo to make a decent pile of scrambled eggs to go along with the French toast.

"Toast is about to be done," said Elissa, flipping the last piece onto the pile and reaching for the powdered sugar to finish off the toast. Kaidan came over and took the plate of bacon and French toast, he then placed them on the tray next to the scrambled eggs and juice, Elissa grabbed some plates along with silverware. Kaidan picked up the tray and Elissa opened up the door to the balcony and he placed the tray on the table, Elissa set the table and they sat there eating breakfast watching the sun rise over the mist from the lake and trees in the orchard. Since they had moved to Vancouver and the Alenko orchard, this had been Elissa's favorite part, watching the sun rise over grass and leaves instead of seeing endless amounts of stars when she first woke up.

"So, who are we expecting to see today?" asked Kaidan between mouthfuls of French toast.

"Tali and Liara were going to come over to shop and later tonight Garrus was going to stop by with Joker and EDI, maybe some others will show up." said Elissa, sipping her orange juice afterwards, thinking about her friends and how much they meant to her in the grand scheme of life.

"Joker and EDI," chuckled Kaidan, bringing her from her thoughts, "wonder when their kids will be synthesized?"

"Joker said as soon as the clinic opens up here," replied Elissa smiling. Since the battle with the Reapers, most everyone had moved here to Vancouver since it was still the most held together city on Earth despite the first attacks, though most still traveled off world to work but all came back to Earth. Elissa had told them there was no need to live on Earth but they had all insisted on staying, since none of them could imagine living away from their commander after the hell they had all been through. Somehow that war had made them all closer, turning them from friends and shipmates into a very close-knit family, even the ones that had decided to return to their home worlds like Wrex and Grunt still visited once every couple of weeks. The others Garrus, Tali, Liara, Joker, EDI and a few more had all bought houses less than five miles away from the Alenko orchard much to the delight of Elissa and Kaidan.

"So, should we tell them?" asked Kaidan cautiously.

"About what?" asked Elissa, still staring off at the orchard.

"About our engagement," replied Kaidan, slipping a blue velvet box from underneath the table and opening it on the table. Elissa looked up in shock only to see a gorgeous aquamarine colored diamond set in yellow gold ring and she could not say anything, instead she nodded several times slowly.

"So you are agreeing to be my wife?" asked Kaidan, taking the ring from the box and slipping it onto Elissa's trembling ring finger. "Looks even more beautiful on you than when it was in the box."

Elissa still could not say anything, all of her grand speeches and pep-talks, and she could not even muster a simple 'Yes' to the most important question in her life from the most special person in her world. The ring caught the morning light, glistening like a million stars, taking her breath away for the second time and Kaidan laughed at her speechlessness.

"I don't think I've ever seen you lost for words, Ella," chuckled Kaidan, taking his fiancee's hand in his. "I think I should ask you properly, since we are all about protocol. Elissa Jacqueline Shepard, for several years now I have been hopelessly in love with you, and after nearly losing you twice now I have realized that I cannot live without you ever again. Will you marry me?"

Elissa had tears shining in her eyes and a huge smile on her face, with a steady and able voice, she clearly answered, "Yes, of course I will marry you, Kaidan."

Kaidan nearly leapt from the table to kiss his fiancee, she jumped and met his embrace eagerly, only he did not kiss her right away instead he held her in his arms just looking at the face of the woman he loved. Despite a few lingering scars that were fading away, she was flawless, her bright green eyes looked up at him with such love and devotion that he almost had to look away. Remembering the regrets he had mentioned a few months ago, her love almost shamed him, she had been one of his regrets: he regretted not being there with her the entire time, even when she had been a lifeless shell after the crash, he had wished everyday that he had been there to see her through those hard times. She had kept it together when he had bombarded her at Horizon and beyond that, she even held on at the end of the Reaper battle when she was buried underneath that pile of rubble. During surgery the doctors had commented on how well her body was responding to their work even though she had to be put in a medically induced coma afterwards. When she had finally awakened, he was there with Joker, watching as her green eyes fluttered open and immediately she wanted him to hold her despite the pain. Now he had her in his arms once more, only she was standing there with his ring on her finger, he was determined to not ever let her go again.

"Kaidan," whispered Elissa, gently caressing his cheek, "I love you."

"I love you too, Ella." whispered Kaidan back and kissed her passionately.


	2. Lead a Normal Life

Elissa had cleared off the outside table while Kaidan was upstairs changing into his civilian clothes, when he came downstairs Elissa thought he was as sexy as ever, he was wearing a white tank-top and a pair of ripped up jeans with a fraying brown leather belt holding them around his waist, not to mention he was standing in a beat up pair of sneakers. She leaned against the kitchen sink and admired the man who was to be her husband, although she had seen him out of uniform before he looked different now, much less of a soldier and more of who Kaidan really was. He grabbed a water bottle from the fridge and sauntered over to where Elissa was standing, wrapping his free arm around her very exposed waist, planting a kiss on her cheek.

"I'm gonna start on the yard work today," said Kaidan, "the orchard is in a terrible state and I feel bad that it has been neglected for so long. Care to join me?"

"You know I would, baby, but there is still some unpacking to do here." replied Elissa, kissing Kaidan's neck while wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "Not only that, but Tali and Liara will be here to go through the crap we don't want and get rid of it, then we're going shopping for more things for the house."

"Please, please, please don't spend more than our budget, I know how Liara gets about giving you the high life." begged Kaidan, a joking tone in his voice as he released his love.

"She's a good friend and wants everyone to share in the life she has," said Elissa, "anyway, I have a set limit at the store, they'll make sure we don't exceed the budget."

"Glad to see you're thinking ahead, I'll be back before dark," said Kaidan, giving his Ella one last kiss before heading outside to get started on repairing the grounds he had grown up on as a child.

Elissa sighed, it had been a long few months, this was the first period of normalcy that either of them had had since first signing on to the _Normandy_ and she hoped that this relaxing time would last longer than the few months Kaidan had off before heading back to the Citadel. She was still on leave for an indefinite amount of time, until Admiral Hackett gave her an assignment or the Council summoned her back to resume her Spectre duties, she had been expecting to hear from them before now but this did not bother her she was enjoying her down time. Feeling like she should get something accomplished, she headed upstairs to her bedroom, grabbed a blue cotton T-shirt and a pair of grey jean shorts out of her dresser and went into the washroom for a hot shower. Afterwards she felt like a human again, put on her panties, bra, shirt, jean shorts and socks then went downstairs to find Liara and Tali standing in her living room doing what appeared to be taking measurements of the room. When they heard Elissa enter the room both turned around hastily, Tali was the first to speak.

"Lisa!" exclaimed Tali and she gave Elissa a huge hug, which she returned with equal enthusiasm.

"It's so good to see you again, Tali," said Elissa releasing Tali from the embrace then turning to Liara, whom she noticed had a leather-bound book, "don't worry Liara, I haven't forgotten you, what's with the book by the way?"

"Oh, just some design plans," said Liara, a bit flustered but Elissa walked over and hugged her tight too, "I'm glad to see you, Lisa."

"So, catch me up, how is everything beyond the borders of Vancouver?" asked Elissa after she had released Liara too and had walked over to a large stack of boxes, using a box cutter to unleash the contents of the container. Tali came over to help her while Liara continued to take measurements with her omni-tool.

"Well, the Migrant Fleet has continued to rebuild their ranks, and the ones that are still operational are out patrolling the borders near Reaper space," said Tali, examining a model spaceship she had pulled from one of the boxes. "Surprisingly, the Geth have been an even greater help with reinforcing our ships with new Geth technology, their know how has sped up the rebuilding process by several years. I should also have a house on Rannoch soon enough, I have a plot picked out and the designs are being made." Elissa smiled at her dear friend, she knew that this house on Rannoch would mean more to Tali than anything else in the galaxy, except maybe her father being there to see the Quarians living where they had before.

"I have been monitoring the progress of the Citadel's reconstruction," said Liara, her nose stuck in her book, "the Keepers have stopped working on certain areas, which is odd since when the Citadel was up and running they were making improvements everywhere all of the time. They are now working on the mass relays, they officially have three that are operational which has surprised everyone including the Quarian engineers."

"Must be great to be the Shadow Broker again, eh, Liara?" asked Elissa, putting some more knick-knacks on the built in shelves around the entertainment center.

"It has its benefits," said Liara flatly, she seemed more absorbed in the book than in having a conversation with either Tali or Elissa.

"Feron has been spending a great deal of time over there," said Tali quietly as possible so Liara could not hear what they were saying, "he has been asking everyday for her to marry him and she has refused until recently. She hasn't said a word to anyone but me about it, I just had to tell you though, you needed to know. Most of her great mind is occupied on flower colors and chair wraps, I didn't know that Asari had weddings like humans."

"Well, I guess weddings are in the air, Kaidan proposed to me this morning over breakfast." said Elissa, flashing her ring in Tali's direction, Tali squealed with delight.

"Oh wow, Lisa!" exclaimed Tali, clapping her hands and admiring the ring glistening on Elissa's left hand. "I won the bet!"

"Bet?" asked a puzzled Elissa, looking from Liara to Tali, "What bet?"

"The crew had a bet on when the Major would propose to you," said Liara, "ever since we went on the expedition to get the diamond for your ring."

"You knew he was going to propose and didn't even hint at it!?" exclaimed Elissa, floored that her two best friends had kept this huge secret from her for several weeks.

"He swore us to secrecy, Lisa!" said Tali. "We were all on the expedition with Kaidan to Tuchanka to find the diamond. Joker piloted with EDI and the rest of us scoured the wasteland for that diamond, Grunt was the one who actually found it and Wrex gave us his blessing over it, he said that it must be blessed since it was going to be a special present for you."

"During the flight back was when the bet idea came about and everyone jumped on board, the prize got to be over one hundred credits," said Liara, still calculating the measurements she had taken earlier.

"Glad you won, Tali," said Elissa smiling at her dearest friend, and for the next hour they unloaded several boxes, chatted about weddings, when they were done they got into Liara's car and headed towards the city. When they arrived there was hardly anyone about in town though there was the farmer's market going on about half a block from the furniture store, upon entering the store they were greeted by an older looking woman.

"Hello, Ms. Shepard," said the woman, "my assistant said that you would be coming into the store today, my name is Alana."

"Hi, Alana," said Elissa, outstretching her hand for Alana to shake which she did, "I was wondering if you could show me the furniture I was discussing with your assistant Irene, she said it was the more simple contemporary style that would go well with the farmhouse."

"Ah, yes, that would be over there near the back wall," said Alana and she went off to see the next group of people who had just entered the store while Elissa, Tali, and Liara went off to see the furniture they had been directed towards. When they saw the furniture, Elissa was in love with everything there, but remembering Kaidan's plea she decided to only stick to what she was supposed to be buying which was living room furniture. There was a lovely set of a couch, chair, and loveseat that was upholstered in a cream fabric and Tali found some colorful pillows that accented the color wonderfully. Elissa found some dark wood stained tables that she felt would tie the room together nicely and there were some glass lamps with pale blue shades that further matched the room. When they were done, Elissa paid Alana from the account she had set up the week before and set the delivery time for the later that afternoon, then the three of them headed down to the farmer's market.

"There are so many fruits and vegetables," commented Tali as she picked up a white onion and placed it in the basket she had grabbed, "how can humans grow food even after what happened?"

"Earth needs food, even more so in times of crisis," said Elissa, placing a couple of containers of strawberries in her own basket. "I am so glad we have this fresh food, it's so much better than that dried crap we used to eat on the _Normandy_."

"Yeah but there was food that all species could eat, not just humans," said Liara as she scrutinized a carrot, smelling it cautiously before putting it in her basket along with a few others.

"Kaidan's hoping the orchard will be able to produce fruit by next spring, there are peach trees, apple trees, cherry trees, you name it we're growing it." laughed Elissa, grabbing some jars of honey and some jars of raspberry jelly.

They came across a stand with some bread and they all tried a slice from various loaves before buying three, one picked by each girl, and with their groceries they headed back to the farmhouse. They brought the paper bags into the kitchen and placed them on the counter, the girls put the groceries away then Elissa started on making some sandwiches for lunch, while Tali made some very sweet iced tea. Liara sat at the counter on one of the barstools, still looking through her leather book that Elissa could on guess had wedding plans meticulously written down. She stopped reading enough to look up at Elissa with tears in her eyes.

"Liara, what's wrong?" asked Elissa, very concerned with her friend's wellbeing.

"I'm pregnant," said Liara, putting her head on her hands, tears rolling down her face. Tali and Elissa were quiet, neither knew what to say since Liara did not seem to be very happy about her situation.

"Feron is the father," said Liara quietly, "I don't know if I'm ready to be a mother yet."

"Liara," said Elissa, walking over and putting her arms around Liara's shoulders, "you're going to be an excellent mother, and your daughter is going to be so very loved by you, Feron, and the rest of the crew."

"I know that everything is going to be alright, I just don't think I'm in the maternal stage yet, there is still so much to do before I have daughters," said Liara, trying to mop up her tears with the corner of her sleeve, Elissa reached for some paper towels and Liara gladly accepted the help.

"No woman, human, Asari, or Quarian, is ever ready to become a mother," said Elissa, looking to Tali for support.

"It's true," said Tali quickly.

"I cannot believe that I let this happen," sighed Liara, "I'm usually so careful and responsible when it comes to being intimate with someone."

"Well, sometimes when you love someone, you let your defenses down and things like this happen," said Elissa, stroking Liara's shoulder, and Liara leaned her head on Elissa's shoulder.

"I knew something like that could happen to other species, but with Asari, this rarely happens," said Liara, her voice cracking with emotion. Elissa and Tali were at a loss for words, there was only so much they could say to console Liara right now, her mind was not willing to process the fact that these surprises could even happen to Asari.

"I'm going to go give Kaidan his lunch," said Elissa, she grabbed a bag she had filled with a couple of steak sandwiches and a thermos of sweet tea then went outside trying to find Kaidan in this immense orchard.

"Kaidan! Kaidan!" shouted Elissa several times before she heard a reply.

"I'm under the cherry tree, Ella!" shouted Kaidan and she walked over towards the sound of his voice. She saw him laying down on the green grass with his eyes closed beneath the cherry tree with his shirt off and the gardening tools were a few feet away from him, Elissa hovered over his head, her shadow blocking out the hot sun.

"Hey there," said Elissa, and Kaidan opened his eyes then sat up.

"Hey there, yourself," said Kaidan and Elissa handed him the bag of sandwiches and the thermos of tea. "Thanks for the food, Ella."

"You're welcome, hon," said Elissa and she sat on the ground next to him. They split the food and drink, having a small picnic out there in the orchard, Kaidan's arm wrapped around Elissa's shoulders.

"Liara's pregnant," said Elissa, and Kaidan looked a bit surprised but not much.

"Who's the father?" asked Kaidan.

"Feron is the father," said Elissa, "she's pretty upset actually, apparently surprises like these are very uncommon for the Asari. She also doesn't feel she's ready to be a mother since she hasn't entered the maternal stage of her life yet."

"No woman ever feels ready," said Kaidan, echoing what Elissa had already mentioned earlier. "I know that from listening to all of my mom's friends talking about their pregnancies, no matter how many kids they had they were still upset about having another one."

"I know I'll be a wreck when I find out I'm pregnant," laughed Elissa and Kaidan laughed too but not his usual laugh, and he got very quiet.

"You've thought about being a mother?" asked Kaidan, not making direct eye contact with Elissa. They had not had the "kids" talk directly, but both had already expressed the desire to maybe someday possibly have children though the number of children and when they would start to try for kids had yet to be discussed.

"Well, yeah, I guess so," said Elissa nervously, swishing the tea in her cup around, "I did a lot more after I had met you, I liked thinking that you'd be the father even though at the time we hadn't gotten that far in our relationship."

"You thought of me as a father when we weren't even together?" asked Kaidan, an amused tone in his voice. "How strange, I used to think about you as the mother to my children when I saw just a glimpse of you getting onto the _Normandy_ that first day."

"Glad to know we were meant to be even then," laughed Elissa, leaning in closer to Kaidan and he kissed her forehead. They sat out in the bright sun for another few minutes before Elissa got back up with the trash from their picnic then headed back up towards the house while Kaidan got back to work with cleaning the tree beds. When she got back to the house, Elissa heard Tali and Liara talking to someone else in there and upon entering Elissa saw that it was the delivery man with the furniture. Her friends were arguing over where the furniture should go and Elissa smiled, she had not ever met two more independent people that got along as well as Liara and Tali, the fact the three of them could be as great of friends as they are amazed her every time.

"So have you two decided on how _my_ living room should look?" asked Elissa loudly, catching the attention of Tali and Liara.

"Sorry, Lisa," said Tali, "why don't you tell us where you want us to put the furniture?"

"Okay, I want the couch underneath the set of windows, the love seat running horizontally from the couch's right side with a table between the two with a lamp on top," directed Elissa, feeling like a commander once again, "the chair can be in the far corner with the other table and lamp, then there's a rug upstairs that I want to put on the floor before the coffee table."

The three of them worked diligently for the next couple of hours, moving the furniture and then decorating the room with some of the stuff they had found in the attic, it was nearly dark out when they were done and Kaidan came back in to see the living room completely transformed. He decided that the best way to break it in was to go and flop right onto the inviting couch which he did to the dismay of the three women.

"Kaidan!" exclaimed Elissa, throwing her hands up in utter exasperation, "We just got this furniture and you got sweat and dirt all over it!"

"Sorry, Ella," said Kaidan looking up at Elissa playfully, "I'll go and shower before the others arrive."

"What should I do about the couch?" asked Elissa sharply, her arms crossed. "How do you expect me to clean it while making dinner?"

"I'll help you with both, is that reasonable, Commander?" asked Kaidan, his tone a hint sharper than before. They looked at each other for a second before Kaidan jumped up from the couch and headed towards the bathroom upstairs while Elissa went to the kitchen to start on dinner for their gathering tonight. Tali and Liara were already there waiting for her, they were both silent but helped her out nonetheless, trying to make small conversation until Kaidan came downstairs in jeans and a grey T-shirt he then motioned for Elissa to follow him into the living room.

"Look, Ella, I'm sorry for snapping at you and for getting the couch dirty just after you got it all clean," said Kaidan in a quiet voice, holding Elissa's hand as a gesture of sincerity.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you too, I shouldn't have overreacted like that," said Elissa, squeezing Kaidan's hand and they both smiled at each other, kissed and returned to the kitchen where they had a nice time talking and cooking with the others. Sometime before seven Garrus arrived with Joker and EDI in tow, Elissa dashed from the kitchen to get the door and hugged Garrus tightly, she hugged Joker gingerly though she wanted to squeeze him too then she hugged EDI who had learned to reciprocate the gesture without the bone crushing force she was capable of producing. Wrex and Grunt were there too, Elissa waved at them since they did not want any displays of human affection and there was also Jacob and James whom Elissa hugged tightly as well.

"Glad to see all of you again," said Elissa as she ushered her guests into the kitchen with the rest of the crew.

"Hey, Joker!" shouted Kaidan from the stove, he was grilling up some steaks and Joker walked over and sat in the barstool Elissa had pulled out for him and placed close to the stove so he could help Kaidan out with the steaks.

"Hey, Major, how's everything been?" said Joker, taking the beer Kaidan was offering. "Have you done it yet?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact I have," said Kaidan smugly, glancing over at Elissa who was chopping up vegetables for a salad, her ring catching the light.

"So who won the bet?" asked Joker quietly, trying not bring attention to the topic.

"I did!" exclaimed Tali and Joker looked deflated.

"Yep, Tali said two weeks after our expedition, and it has been two weeks to the day," said Kaidan, "Give her the money, EDI."

"Of course, Major Alenko," said EDI and she reached into a compartment pulling out a small bundle of credits then handed the money over to Tali who pocketed her winnings quickly, returning to her task of buttering the bread. Liara was absentmindedly mixing a large pitcher of spiked lemonade that she had made, looking out of the window at the fireflies dancing around the windows.

"Liara's pregnant!" announced Elissa, sensing that Liara was still thinking about the growing life inside of her, and the room erupted into cheers. Liara blushed deeply which was saying something since red did not always show up on her lovely blue skin and everyone began to ask her rapid fire questions, mostly about who the father was.

"Feron is the father!" shouted Liara happily, and there was more cheering, Elissa could see that Liara's attitude about the situation had changed when most of the crew found out about her condition. Elissa could only guess that the worst part had been hiding the pregnancy from everyone that was important to her, having it out in the open had made Liara relax more and she now seemed more eager to discuss her daughter.

"I've been trying to think of names for her, something that can be a tribute to my two dearest friends," said Liara, looking at Elissa and Tali, "I was thinking about naming her Talissa, what do you think?"

"Sounds like a lovely name," said Tali, patting Liara on the shoulder. "I'm honored that you care enough to name your daughter after me."

"I agree," said Elissa, "I'm honored that you want to name your daughter after me."

"Congratulations to the Shadow Broker!" shouted a slightly tipsy Jacob.

"Congratulations!" shouted the rest of them.

"Congrats to the Major and Commander!" shouted Grunt and Wrex. The rest followed suit, shouting congratulations to every person they could think of earning the cheer. Someone knocked on the door and Elissa left the party to go and answer the door, still smiling at what a wonderful evening this was turning into. When she answered the door, a young man in an Alliance uniform was there waiting.

"Commander Shepard, I am Lieutenant Thomas," said Lt. Thomas, saluting. "I am here on official business from Admiral Hackett."

"Lieutenant," said Elissa, saluting the young man back and he handed her an envelope. "Inform the admiral that I have received his package and will respond to his message within twenty-four hours."

"Commander," said Lt. Thomas and he turned and left as Elissa closed the door behind him. She looked down at the package and walked slowly back into the kitchen, her whole body trembling with anticipation, she was hoping it would contain her papers saying she could return to active duty soon. Kaidan saw the package as Elissa walked back into the kitchen and put his arms around Elissa's waist when she stood at the counter.

"Who's it from, Ella?" asked Kaidan until he saw the official seal of Admiral Hackett. "Hackett? Does this mean you're going to return to duty?"

"I'm about to find out," said Elissa, somewhat breathless with anticipation. Everyone in the room seemed to hold their breath as Elissa slowly opened the envelope and pulled the papers out of the casing. Elissa read the papers then reread them, unable to comprehend what they were saying.

"Ella, what do they say?" asked Kaidan concerned.

"I've been decommissioned," said Elissa, anger rising in her voice, "I'm no longer in the military."


	3. Shocked

"What do you mean decommissioned?" asked Kaidan, not believing the news himself.

"There aren't any details," seethed Elissa, balling up the papers in anger, "I'm just supposed to report to Admiral Hackett's office as soon as I am able where he will explain everything."

"Lisa, are you still a Spectre?" asked Tali. "Being discharged from the Alliance Forces does not mean you have been demoted from Spectre status."

"I guess I'll find that out when I get honorably discharged," said Elissa through her teeth. "Excuse me." She pushed Kaidan's hands off of her and practically ran up the stairs and tried with all of her might not to slam the door when she got into her bedroom.

"How could they do this?" asked Kaidan aloud, "Ella's a good soldier and leader, she hasn't done anything wrong, she was found innocent of all charges at her hearing for God's sake."

"You got me, Maj," said Joker, looking at the floor, EDI putting her hand on his shoulder, "I mean the Commander, uh, Elissa, is a damn fine soldier and Spectre. Alright so we went rogue for a little while, and might have unintentionally caused a war with the Batarians, oh and there was the whole disobeying orders against going to Ilos incident—"

"Joker, stop trying to help," sighed Jacob. "She might have the chance to appeal the decision if their evidence isn't sound."

"That is possible," said Tali, thinking about her trial back on the Migrant Fleet, "maybe we could request a trial for her, and we all speak on her behalf."

"Well, everyone except Joker," said James jokingly, "his testimony would single handedly guarantee Lola's discharge, not to mention the rest of us."

"Hey! I love the Commander like the rest of you, well maybe not like you, Maj," said Joker, winking at Kaidan, "but that doesn't mean I want to see her get booted out!"

"None of us wants to see Lisa get discharged, Joker," said Liara patiently.

"Is there anything you can do, Liara, being the Shadow Broker and all?" asked Garrus.

"I could take a look at any evidence they could present against her, possibly peek at the forms that explain their reason for the discharge, but that's all I can do," said Liara, sighing heavily, she wanted to help her friend but there was only so much even she could do at this point.

"It's a start," said Kaidan forcefully, "there might be more we could do to help Ella but right now, I think we should just try to boost her morale."

"Well, Maj, I think that's your department," quipped Joker and everyone else snickered softly. Kaidan rolled his eyes in jest, he knew they were trying to ease the tension in this situation, so in the spirit of a good laugh he stooped his shoulders and hung his head as he headed up the stairs.

"Do I have to?" asked Kaidan in a whiny voice with a sparkle in his eyes. The rest of them laughed, while Joker motioned that he had to venture forth to the second story, which he did with a spring in his step despite his outward appearance. When he got to their bedroom he eased the door open he saw Ella sitting on their bed with her head hung, arms resting on her legs and hands clasped in front of her. Kaidan slowly walked towards her and when she did not move from her position, he sat down on the bed next to her and wrapped his arm around her waist.

"How are you holding up, Ella?" asked Kaidan quietly, his hand gently caressing her side.

"I don't understand it, Kaidan," started Elissa, her voice almost a whisper, "what did I do wrong?"

"Nothing, Ella, you've done nothing wrong," said Kaidan, his voice raised some, "what would make you think that you did something wrong?"

"Why else would they discharge me?" snapped Elissa, a tone Elissa immediately regretted when she saw the hurt look on his face. "I'm sorry, sweetheart."

"Hey, you've had a rough night," said Kaidan soothingly, "you have a reason to be upset."

"I've been a soldier for most of my life, my parents were military, and now I have nothing," said Elissa, running her fingers through her hair.

"You still have me, and the house," said Kaidan, a bit hurt.

"I know," said Elissa, putting her hand on Kaidan's thigh, "I love being here and being with you, I'm just pissed off and blowing off steam."

"I know, baby," said Kaidan taking Elissa's hand in both of his and kissing her fingertips, then stood up, "come on downstairs, it's not a party without you."

Elissa smiled and allowed Kaidan to help her up off the bed and they walked downstairs together where she was greeted with a loud round of applause. She was deeply touched, the people standing before her had been to hell and back under her command and they had all remained strong throughout the whole ordeal, now here they were helping her regain the resilience she had thought was long gone. She looked at each of her crew members, amazed that they had all made it through when she had been told it would be nearly impossible to have this many survive, she could not believe that she had achieved that impossible and they were all there. Joker had found someone to be with who laughed at his bad jokes, and even though she was made entirely of metal, she was gentle with him, understanding that his condition required delicate care and he was happy with EDI despite the irregular nature of their relationship. Liara's life was going phenomenally well, she was the most powerful being in the Milky Way yet she had still maintained her friendly disposition and concern for the well being of each planet. Now Liara was going to be a mother and wife a journey she would not embark on alone, she would have all of the support she needed from the crew and Feron would be there too, helping her through the rough times.

Tali had regained her status on the Migrant Fleet and was now working side by side with a Geth to try and improve their technology in an attempt to maintain the Quarian home world, yet even with all of these projects occupying her time she was still able to visit with her friends and be there for them without question. Without Tali, Elissa was not sure how she would have made it through those tough months without Kaidan, especially after what happened on Horizon, not having Kaidan or his support made those the hardest months of her life. Wrex and Grunt were both now trying to unite the individual tribes of the Krogan on Tuchanka, they sounded more hopeful now that the genophage had been eradicated, and at last count there were already over two hundred Krogan babies. Their new radical ideas were being accepted by more of the Krogan and were having the impact that Wrex had hoped for when he had set out on this renaissance for his species.

James had made a name for himself, being not only a formidable poker opponent, but as a soldier too, after the Reaper war he had become a drill sergeant for N7 training, specializing in recruiting and assisting kids who had been in the same situation he had been in before becoming a marine. He had also opened up a small tattoo parlor with Cortez though James never really did anything there beyond getting additions to his own body, though Cortez did not care, he enjoyed running the business or so James said. Jacob was now living with Brynn and his son Nicholas in Vancouver and had managed to stay hidden from Cerberus for long enough to get both his wife and son off world and to a safe haven until the war was over. Brynn was adjusting well to a simple life after what she had experienced and Nicholas was about a year old now and Jacob was taking to being a father extremely well. Garrus had gone back to Omega as the vigilante Archangel and had been seen around with Aria though he denied that it was a romantic relationship, Elissa had seen the way his eyes sparkled whenever someone spoke about her though, so she knew he was laying.

Elissa beamed at all of her friends, feeling very proud to have led them all and being able to see how their lives turned out, then she looked at Kaidan and saw the rest of her life. The ring on her finger caught the light again, making her think of all the times she and Kaidan had shared and she could not begin to imagine her life without Kaidan nor did she want to again, she thought she had lost him once and could not go through that hell again. Now she needed his support again, dealing with this discharge was going to be trying on both her patience and confidence, and if she lost her Spectre status then she would feel completely useless in this world and the other ones as well.

"Food's ready!" called Kaidan from the kitchen where he had disappeared to momentarily. Everyone filed out of the living room and onto the balcony where they enjoyed their various foods, most enjoying steaks while others were enjoying delicacies that was specific to their species. Jacob was talking with Liara about being a parent, Garrus was speaking with Wrex and Grunt about some various guns and how to acquire them and Tali was trying to coax more details about some secret technology from EDI while Joker was joking around with Kaidan.

"Ellie!" shouted Joker, "stop being a loner, come join us!" Elissa smiled and walked over to where Joker was sitting and Kaidan kissed her cheek.

"Joker was just telling me about some of the adventures you had without me, again," said Kaidan, leaning against the railing of the deck.

"Which ones?" asked Elissa, eyeing Joker suspiciously.

"The fun ones, like recruiting Garrus and taking down the Shadow Broker, oh and tracking Thane that was awesome!" said Joker loudly, then he sipped his Canadian lager. "This beer, is the real deal, I've missed a good old fashion beer."

"Good thing you're living here then," said Kaidan as he reached for another, "all the beer you can drink."

"I still prefer a good white wine," said Elissa, "best way to unwind after a rough day, did that more than once while on active duty."

"That explains the wine racks in the basement," said Kaidan teasingly, kissing Elissa's cheek again.

"Might want to hide the wine after her meeting with Hackett," said Joker and Elissa lifted her fist in a playful gesture, Joker flinched just slightly, though they were smiling the whole time. They had been doing this since they had been hired by Cerberus, he was one of only a few friendly faces she had seen at the beginning of those long months and she was grateful to have had him there.

Instead of being Commander and Lieutenant, they were now more like brother and sister, both had supported the other through tough times and had the other's back when push came to shove. Elissa remembered one night after a difficult mission, she had been in her quarters trying to unwind with a glass of muscato and in walked Joker with a deck of playing cards, he had insisted that he was going to teach her how to play gin rummy then and there. After a few hands, Elissa had a better grasp on the game and things got serious, they played well into that night waking up with cards everywhere. They then had gotten into the habit of playing almost every night even if there was not a difficult mission to contend with, soon they were opening up more and more about their lives, she talked about living on the various Naval stations and he talked about his life focusing more on how he had learned the basics of flying from an old friend of his mom's. Now they still played gin rummy almost every night, but not for hours on end, both Kaidan and EDI had limited the time to three hours on weekends and two hours on weekdays.

Elissa was smiling when she was shaken from her thoughts by Joker's hand waving in her face saying, "_Normandy_ to shore party, come in shore party."

"I'm fine, Joker, I was just thinking about when you taught me how to play gin," said Elissa.

"Are we going to play tonight or would you rather postpone?" asked Joker, checking his watch. "It's getting pretty late even for a two hour game."

"I think we'll have enough time to play a few hands," said Elissa, "besides, on our flight back to the Citadel, we'll probably have even more time."

"I agree, but I think the Major should join us," said Joker.

"I play poker not gin," said Kaidan as he took a sip of his lemonade.

"You should learn how to play," said Elissa nudging him in the arm with her shoulder, "it's something fun that is also mentally stimulating."

"Why don't you ask Liara or Tali to play?" asked Kaidan as he took a bite of his piece of bread.

"Yeah, Ellie, why don't we ask the members of two of the smartest races in the galaxy to play a game that involves keeping track of points? What were we thinking?" asked Joker sarcastically.

"Joker, be nice," warned Elissa, "if he doesn't want to play, he doesn't have to, it's solely his choice."

"Thank you, Ella," said Kaidan, pecking her on the lips.

"Hey, Elissa, Kaidan," said Jacob walking over, "I'm heading out, Vega's going to take me home, I had one too many glasses of that spiked lemonade."

"That's fine, Jacob, just get back to Brynn and Nick safely," said Elissa hugging him good-bye.

"Take care, Jacob," said Kaidan as he shook Jacob's hand.

"You too, Kaidan," said Jacob and he stumbled a little as he walked down the deck stairs.

"I really should make sure he gets home alright," said James, taking Elissa in a great big bear hug, "great dinner, Lola, you and Kaidan really put a spread out tonight."

"Thank you, James," said Elissa, struggling to say anything under the pressure of his hug.

"Kaidan," said James as he released Elissa and then hugged Kaidan but not the same as he had hugged her, "great steaks, great beer, great to be here."

"Glad you came," said Kaidan and then James followed the path Jacob had taken off the deck and was gone with him shortly after.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave as well, Lisa," said Tali, walking up to Elissa and Kaidan, "I have a trip tomorrow to Rannoch for a meeting with the architects about my house, thank you for an excellent night." She hugged Elissa tightly and then hugged Kaidan.

"Don't spend that hundred in one night," said Kaidan as he released her, and then he embraced Liara as she hugged him after having hugged Elissa. "You leaving too?"

"Yes, I need to get back to Feron," said Liara, as he released her, "Tali's taking me back there on her way to Rannoch, I had a great time, thank you both for everything."

"It was good to see you both again, thanks for the help with the furniture," said Elissa and she waved good-bye as they left.

"You guys leaving too?" asked Kaidan, looking at Wrex, Grunt, and Garrus.

"Yes, but not to go home, we have some more parties to attend," said Garrus with a wicked tone.

"Uh-huh," said Elissa, folding her arms across her chest, "do these parties involve guns and armor?"

"Only the best ones do, Shepard," said Garrus, he hugged Elissa carefully, his armor getting in the way more than it usually did.

"Good bye, Shepard, Alenko," said Wrex, shaking her her hand and then Kaidan's.

"So long, Wrex," said Elissa.

"Glad you could make it," said Kaidan.

Grunt walked up to them and bowed his head, his way of saying good-bye in situations where he knew great respect was deserved.

"Grunt, you know you don't have to bow to me," said Elissa exasperated at the Krogan's actions.

"I will bow to you until I am your equal," replied Grunt, "I do the same to Urdnot Wrex and several other clan leaders."

"Come on, Grunt!" called Garrus, "There's still some fun to be had!"

"Shepard," said Grunt and he left, following Wrex and Garrus to Garrus's car and then like everyone before them, they flew away from the house.

"Shall we adjourn inside?" asked Joker, shuffling the deck of cards he kept on him at all times. "Major, you are learning how to play gin, no if ands or buts about it."

"Ella," said Kaidan, his tone implying he really wanted out of this.

"Come on, Kaidan," said Elissa tugging his hand towards the house, "it'll be fun, just a few hands, what's the harm?"

"I have a feeling that if I don't play, you'll keep asking until I relent," said Kaidan and he followed Elissa inside. Joker was already sitting on the loveseat, EDI was sitting in the chair, reading a book of poetry, Elissa and Kaidan sat on the couch.

"Ready to lose, Major?" asked Joker dealing out the cards onto the table.

"If you say so, Joker," said Kaidan reluctantly as he picked up his cards.

"Lighten up, Kaidan, you're probably good at this game," said Elissa.

Several hours and hands later, Kaidan finally threw down his cards and shouted, "Gin!"

"Great job, sweetheart," said Elissa as she gathered up the cards and handed them back to Joker.

"You're just as good as Elissa," said Joker, trying to look dismayed at how quickly Kaidan had picked up the game.

"I can see how you two can play this game for hours," said Kaidan laughing, "it really is a lot of fun, not to mention a great way to relax."

"So are you going to be a third for gin rummy, Major?" asked Joker, hoping he would say no, as he put the deck back in his pocket.

"I might be persuaded to join you guys every now and again," said Kaidan as he leaned back into the cushions of the couch putting his arm on the back of the couch, Elissa then leaned against Kaidan, overcome with the feeling of needing lots of sleep.

"Joker, it is nearly three in the morning," said EDI, standing up, "I think we should return home and let the Commander and Major sleep."

"Killjoy," muttered Joker and he stood up, stretching carefully. He came over and hugged Elissa as tight as he could without injuring himself and then shook Kaidan's hand, EDI then picked up Joker and they left.

"I finally have you all to myself," said Kaidan pulling Elissa closer to his body, and placing a soft kiss on her lips.

"Reminds me of when we first bunked together on the _Normandy_," said Elissa in a sultry voice.

"That was a pretty spectacular night, if I remember correctly," said Kaidan laughing slightly to himself.

"Want to try and recreate that night?" asked Elissa, standing up and extending her hand to Kaidan which he eagerly took.

"Just like we do nearly every night," said Kaidan planting a passionate kiss on the unsuspecting Elissa, he took her hand and pulled her with him up the stairs and to their bedroom, Elissa giggling and blushing the whole walk.


	4. Something Unexpected

**A/N: Hey everyone, thanks for sticking with this story so far, I promise there is a plot, just hold on! Just wanted to give a heads up that from this chapter on, I will be switching between Elissa's POV and Joker's POV with either a whole chapter from or just sections. Read and Review! **

* * *

_'This cannot be happening, this cannot be happening,'_ thought Elissa as she boarded the _Normandy_ just a few short hours after having spoken to Admiral Hackett, he had been about as helpful as the papers she had been handed last night. From what he had told her that morning, he himself had just received the paperwork that discussed her discharge from the Alliance Navy and her call was rather unexpected since he had thought that she would have been getting the orders after he had reviewed the orders. Nothing about this situation was adding up, it was all rather sketchy and seemed so well orchestrated that people who would have normally been aware of the situation were not and that incoming information was being filtered so as to not arouse too much suspicion. These were the thoughts that clouded her mind as she sat at her desk in her cabin alone, Kaidan had gone down to the armory with Garrus to begin recalibration of some cannon on the _Normandy_ that was starting to falter some in its aiming program.

"Commander Shepard," said Joker over the intercom, "please report to the bridge, I repeat, Commander Shepard to the bridge." Elissa looked around her cabin bewildered, Joker had never summoned her to the bridge before, not even when there was trouble going on with the _Normandy_. She put on her hoodie, and headed down to the bridge to try and figure out why Joker had decided now was the exact time to have her come down there, plowing through a few crew members in the process of walking.

When she arrived, her frustration of being called down to the bridge must have been evident since Joker took one look at her face and said, "I promise this is important."

"It better be," muttered Elissa, as she rubbed her arms trying to warm up, "God, why is it so cold?"

"Heat hasn't turned on yet," said Joker as he began punching in some numbers on the console, "if you're really cold, you could always go down to the engine room or stay here with me, either option will warm you right up."

"Smooth, flyboy," said Elissa smirking as she pressed gently on the back of his head pushing it forward some before sitting in the empty co-pilot's chair.

"Anyway," said Joker, becoming serious, "the reason I've called you up here is I received this message from the docks on the Citadel, our docking privileges have been revoked."

"What do you mean revoked?" asked Elissa looking startled and angry, "Spectres have their own private dock."

"Got me, Ellie," said Joker bringing up the message on his console, "read for yourself."

Elissa got up and leaned over Joker's shoulder as she read the message:

_ Flight Lieutenant Moreau,_

_ We regret to inform you that due to the extenuating circumstances concerning your commander and crew, the Normandy has been denied access to its usual dock, D-24 until further notice. Please report to docking bay R-17, hangar 4 when you do arrive at the Citadel._

_ Respectfully yours,_

_ Crew Chief Enders_

"What the hell is going on here?" whispered Elissa as she stood back up shaking her head in disbelief, "First the suspension from duty, then the trial, and now I can't even park in my own God damn dock? I swear, the Fates are working against me."

"The Fates?" asked Joker swiveling around in his chair to face Elissa.

"Figure of speech, something I got from one of Ash's poetry books," said Elissa and she quickly dismissed the memories of the Gunnery Chief that were threatening tears.

"Yeah, okay," said Joker uneasily when he saw the look on Elissa's face, "look, if you want to sit up here and talk, I'm all ears."

"Don't sell yourself short, Jeff," said Elissa, her eyes scanning his form, and she could see him blush which made her blush as well, something hung in the air between them, unspoken words and a tension she had felt there often.

"Jeff," started Elissa but her voice faltered and failed, then EDI and Kaidan walked in, silencing her and breaking the moment.

"Hey, sweetie," said Joker and EDI hugged him gently before taking her seat next to him. Elissa could feel something stir within her heart, almost like jealousy, when she saw EDI sitting next to Joker.

"Hi, Ella," said Kaidan and he pecked Elissa's lips, she suddenly felt rather embarrassed of having Joker see them kiss even though they had kissed in front of the crew before.

"Hey, Kaidan," said Elissa, trying to sound happier than she was actually feeling at that moment. "How are the calibrations going?"

"From what I could tell they were just about perfect," said Kaidan, wrapping his arm around her waist, "but Garrus is insisting that there is still some more calibrating to be done."

"Did you do something about the heat, I'm freezing my balls off up here?" asked Joker, as he starting putting in the coordinates for the nearest mass relay.

"We're working on it, Cap," said Kaidan, clapping Joker on the shoulder, then turning to Elissa, "Would you like to join me for lunch later today?"

"Yeah, sure," said Elissa still looking at Kaidan though glancing at Joker as she spoke. He smiled at her and then left the bridge, Elissa felt like she wanted to stay on the bridge and talk with Joker but not with an audience there, which seemed odd since having a presence had not been a problem before.

"I, uh, guess I'll uh, go then," said Elissa and she started moving her hands in random motions trying to indicate she was leaving but looked more like she was directing traffic.

"Good bye, Commander," said EDI coldly, her tone surprised Elissa but she was already out of the door, so she shook it off and decided to go find Tali, she needed to talk about this.

Joker had yet to register that Elissa had left the bridge when he said, "So, Ellie, how have you been?"

"Jeff, the Commander left the bridge one point two seconds ago, when you were facing the console," said EDI and she seemed distant when she spoke.

"Oh, well then," said Joker awkwardly, he was rather disappointed that Elissa had left but he realized why she might have since there was no place for her to sit down and talk with him.

"Jeff?" said EDI.

"Yes, EDI?" asked Joker as he began the liftoff sequence.

"Why do your bio readings always elevate when the Commander is present?" asked EDI, sounding almost upset with him.

"Which readings, EDI?" asked Joker, rapidly punching buttons on the console yet still aware of what EDI was saying to him.

"Your body temperature rises by about zero point two degrees Fahrenheit, testosterone levels rise to a peak associated with early sexual arousal in human males, and your endorphin levels increase to a point that I have only seen when you are playing one of your games, not to mention your rapid heart beat," replied EDI, her fists clenched on her arm rests and voice tight.

"I don't know, EDI, I really don't have any control over my bodily functions," said Joker forcibly as he brought the _Normandy_ out of Earth's atmosphere, he was more interested in getting the ship into space than talking about why his heart beat faster or his testosterone increased whenever Elissa was around.

"Can we talk about this later, EDI?" asked Joker as he turned on the thrusters and started to stabilize the _Normandy_.

"No, Jeff," said EDI bitterly, "I want to discuss your attraction to the Commander now. I thought you were over this, you swore to me that there was nothing left, why have you betrayed me like this?"

Now Joker was both speechless and furious, he turned away from EDI and focused more on getting the _Normandy_ into the relay, going over the checks to himself, "Stand by for relay transit. Hitting the relay in ten, nine, eight, seven, six . . ." He could feel the power surge through the _Normandy_ as the field encompassed the ship, the rest of the galaxy blurred through the windshields and there was the usual jolt of the ship coming out on the other side, he checked the boards. "Transition complete. The board is greener than a Drell's ass."

"If you are not willing to discuss this problem then I am leaving," huffed EDI and she stood and walked out of the cockpit with her fists still clenched.

"What the hell is her problem?" muttered Joker to himself as he did the final checks of the Normandy's systems just as Garrus entered the bridge.

"I just saw EDI, she seemed pretty upset," said Garrus as he sat in the newly vacant co-pilot's seat, "this wouldn't have anything to do with your secret would it?"

"What secret?" asked Joker innocently as he spun to face Garrus.

"That supposedly "secret" crush you've had on Shepard since she stepped onto the bridge on the SR-1," said Garrus, slightly annoyed that Joker would still not admit that he had feelings for Elissa despite the length of time they had known each other, "EDI was bound to find out, you turn into a rambling idiot when Shepard is around."

"I only told you, Garrus," said Joker bitterly, "and that was more than enough people to know."

"Fine, be some miserable old man that sits in a bar angry about the one who got away as you humans say," snapped Garrus and he stood up. "I was just trying to prod you in the right direction but I guess you just want to fumble around on your own. That's fine with me."

"What good would it do me now, though?" asked Joker in a raised voice. "She has Alenko to be her hero. I'm just her crippled pilot!"

"I don't know what good it would do you, but it sure as hell would make everything easier for the rest of us who have to cringe every time you speak with her!" yelled Garrus.

"Who asked you to listen in anyway?" retorted Joker, he was getting really pissed off at Garrus.

"You know what, you are hopeless, and when you decide to grow a quad and be a man, let me know because right now you are acting like a child!" snapped Garrus and he walked away from Joker, shaking his head, unable to understand why humans insist on playing games when it comes to mating.

Joker sat back down in his seat, seething with rage, he could barely see the console in front of him, nothing about today was going to go right he could tell just by how close he had come to nailing Garrus in the side of the head with a two-by-four. '_Fuck this, I don't need her, she'll never see me as anything but her fucking brother,'_ thought Joker as he ran a few tests on the core.

* * *

Joker was sitting in a chair in the mess with a plate of food in front of him but no appetite to stomach any of it, his mind was swirling with what Garrus had talked about, well yelled about. He might be acting like a complete idiot and a child but this was his own problem and he did not want to complicate things with Elissa and Kaidan, he owed her that much respect. He heard her footsteps approaching, even without being on the bridge he knew what hers sounded like, when he turned around he nearly had to pick his jaw up off of the floor she looked amazing in her dress blues. Her long golden brown hair was pulled back in a tight bun and she was wearing some eye make-up but that was all and to him she still looked amazing, this was the Commander Shepard he had fallen in love with.

She sat down next to him at the table, her body so close to his he could see her chest rising and falling as she breathed he could feel the heat resonating from her body from underneath her clothes. Elissa was staring straight ahead, her eyes showed him she was in deep thought, too much in thought to really notice anything or anyone around her.

"Hey, Ellie," said Joker brightly as he nudged her shoulder with his own, "you getting ready for your meeting with the big bad Council?" She looked at him after he had nudged her, her mind receding from thought, coming back to reality where she needed to be right now.

"Like you should be," said Elissa, nudging him back, "everyone's putting their best on, you should be dressed in your blues too, in case you get called to be a character witness."

"What character should I be?" asked Joker in his smart-ass tone, "Maybe a space pirate or should I do an imitation of the Turian Councilor?"

"I think you should be you," said Elissa ruffling his cap, "I like that character most."

"Yeah, but I'm so boring," whined Joker, "plus if I was a space pirate, I could pretend I can piss without breaking a tibia."

"I thought you had those medical procedures that made your legs stronger," commented Elissa, "remember, that was part of your deal with Cerberus, they fix your bones if you be their drone."

"I was never their drone," replied Joker firmly, "I have always been your drone, Ellie, I only joined them when I saw your heart beating on that monitor."

Elissa smiled, he was as loyal to her now as he had been that first day, perhaps even more so now that they had been through hell and lived to tell the tale.

"Ella!" shouted Kaidan from somewhere close by, making Joker and she jump, "Come on, Ella, you need to help get my medals on my dress blues."

"Thirty-six years old and he still needs help getting dressed," muttered Elissa as she stood up and Joker refrained with difficulty from not laughing his ass off.

"Hey, want to have lunch with me?" asked Joker, "We could go to that kabob stand you like so much."

"Sure, Joker," said Elissa smiling, "You, Kaidan, EDI and I can all go there. I'll see you later, Joker."

Joker smiled at her as she walked away but he could not help but feel some kind of disappointment that she had turned this outing into a double date, he was hoping for something like from before, when it was just the two of them. He sighed, there was nothing he could do about that now, instead he needed to focus on patching things up with EDI, he really had no reason to be angry with her she was just reacting to what she perceived as a threat. "Well, guess I need to go get pretty," sighed Joker, "I hope EDI hasn't torched my stuff yet."


	5. Guilty by Suspicion

"Commander Shepard," said Admiral Hackett walking up the the _Normandy_'s bay door in greeting as she disembarked, "I heard about the change in docks for the _Normandy_, barely made it here in time to greet you, I was waiting at your usual hangar."

"Thanks for being here, Admiral," said Elissa as she saluted him, "I'm still not sure why the _Normandy_'s been reassigned to the hangar that is usually reserved for merchants and minor fleet frigates. Think it has something to do with the trial?"

"Possibly," said Hackett, "either way, the Council, generals, and admirals are waiting for you in the Council chamber. Who is going in with you, besides me of course?"

"Major Kaidan Alenko, Flight Lieutenant Jeffery Moreau, and Lieutenant Jacob Taylor," replied Elissa and each one in turn had saluted Hackett.

"Good," said Hackett and beckoned to Elissa to speak with him in private.

She told the squad to wait for her there and she went off with Hackett, when he was sure they were out of earshot he spoke, "Listen, Shepard, something fishy is going on, I was not aware of this trial or your discharge until you spoke with me this morning."

"But sir, I received an official memo from you last night by one Lieutenant Thomas," said Elissa bewildered, "He came to my house, in an Alliance Navy issued uniform, the papers had the seal of your office on them."

"I am aware of that, Shepard," said Hackett sternly, "The Council seemed to know about this, as well as the other admirals and the generals that are present, why I was left out of the loop I don't know but it concerns me greatly."

"What do we do about this, sir?" asked Elissa her mind whirring with different scenarios of what could be going on and who was responsible.

Hackett shrugged and looked dejected, "The only thing we can do, Shepard, take charge of the situation head on and deal with the consequences later."

"Sir, thank you, for being here," said Elissa extending her hand and Hackett gladly shook it, despite everything, he had remained by her side through thick and thin and she knew he would be there to the end.

* * *

The group of soldiers walked to the elevator and went down to C-Sec, the hustle and bustle still the same, only a few passerby looked over at them not taking much interest in who they were or where they were going. They walked over to the Citadel rapid transit and Elissa allowed Hackett to summon the taxi, her hands were shaking too badly for her to press any buttons without making the wrong choice. When the cab arrived everyone piled in, Hackett up front with the driver, Kaidan and Jacob were sitting in the middle, Elissa and Joker in the backseat.

"Elissa," said Jacob, turning to in his seat to face her better, "why am I here? I'm only a consultant to the Alliance and a lieutenant in name alone."

"You're here because I trust you, Jacob," said Elissa, putting her hand on his arm, "and if they try to bring up my time with Cerberus, I'm going to need someone on my side who knew the inner workings of the organization. You're perfect for this, Jacob."

"Okay, we know why Jacob's here," said Joker, "and we all know for sure why the Major's here, other than the obvious reasons of being a Spectre and Alliance officer, so why am I here, Ellie?"

"Character witness," said Elissa, leaning back in the seat, "you've been with me since the beginning, during my time with Cerberus, and you were there while I was recruiting an army against the Reapers. You know me pretty damn well, so you are perfect to tell them about my accomplishments and attributes."

"Until he starts mouthing off about Ilos or something of equal resentment," said Jacob and everyone laughed, even Hackett.

"How do you even know about that?" asked Joker, defensively, "You weren't even with us then."

"I read it in the file," said Jacob, shrugging his shoulders, "there's stuff in that file you'd think wouldn't be in there."

"Like what?" asked Joker, his curiosity piqued.

"Like those websites you used to visit on a slow night," said Jacob trying to be serious but smiling as he spoke and Joker turned bright red, unable to speak to defend himself as everyone around him snickered.

"Lighten up, Joker," said Elissa, elbowing him gently in the arm, "he's just screwing with you."

"She's right, Joker," said Jacob, "there are also websites in there that Kaidan was looking at as well." It was Kaidan's turn to become red as everyone in the taxi laughed at his expense.

"Lighten up, Maj," said Joker, echoing Elissa's words, "he's just screwing with you."

"Joker, I'm going to kill you," sighed Kaidan, his hand glowing blue with his biotic aura.

"No biotics in the cab," said Hackett from the front, "my God, you'd think you all were still teenagers the way you talk to each other." The group laughed and Hackett smiled, this crew of soldiers were like his children, he cared about each one and wanted this trial to turn out well so nothing would come between them.

They arrived at the Citadel Tower, all exiting the cab almost in chain of command, Elissa swallowed hard this was the deciding factor in her career with the Alliance and if something went wrong with the trial she could kiss her job good bye. Kaidan walked up beside her and took her hand in his, gently squeezing it to reassure her that everything would work out in the end, much to her relief.

"Ready to do this?" asked Kaidan quietly as they entered the Tower, the various ambassadors and representatives were now watching them, whispering behind their hands.

"Ready as I'll ever be," muttered Elissa as they made their way to the Council chamber, she could feel her body trembling with each step up to the platform, when she got up there she saw someone waiting for her she had not seen in a very long time.

"Mom!" exclaimed Elissa and she practically ran to her mother's waiting arms.

"Hey kiddo," said Hannah Shepard, hugging her daughter tightly against her, "glad you're alright, I've missed you so much!"

"I've missed you, too, Mom," said Elissa, not wanting to let go of her mother, but she pulled apart enough to look her mother in the face, "What are you doing here?"

"I was contacted by Hackett this morning," said Hannah, indicating the admiral, "he said something about you needing moral support." Elissa looked at the admiral and smiled, he was still looking out for her, this gesture proved the loyalty and trust he still had for her.

"I'm glad you came, Mom," said Elissa, hugging her mother again, "we have a lot to catch up on, I have so much to tell you."

"After today's portion of the trial," said Hannah, resuming her composure of both admiral and mother, "I'll take you and your squad out to dinner, we can talk then, Jackie."

"Jackie?" said Joker, a grin on his face, "Your mom calls you Jackie?"

"Well," said Hannah, looking at Joker and smiling, "everyone else took her nicknames so I came up with one that was unique to only me."

"Mom," moaned Elissa, "can we wait until after my trial to humiliate me?"

"Yes, Jackie, of course, dear," said Hannah, trying to conceal her grin.

"What did her dad call her?" asked Joker in a whisper as they all took their seats around the console, Elissa and Hackett were standing at the console getting ready to greet the Council and the rest of the board who had yet to make their appearance.

"Ellie Belly," said Hannah in a whisper so Elissa could not hear them talking, Joker had to bite his knuckle so he would not laugh out loud, the nickname was way too cute to not use on occasion.

"Commander Elissa J. Shepard, please step forward," said the Turian councilor, Elissa shook off her trepidation and nervousness, replacing them with confidence and bravery as she took her place before the council.

"Commander Shepard," said the Asari councilor, "you are on trial today concerning your continuation in both the Alliance Military, Navy branch and the title of Spectre, today's portion of the trial will concern the charges being brought against you and given the chance to defend yourself. Tomorrow you will be visited by a psychologist and evaluated on whether or not you will be fit for duty, his findings will be taken into account on our verdict, and then two days later, we will have our verdict ready for you. Do you understand how these court proceedings will work?"

"Yes, ma'am," said Elissa, and the various people nodded.

"Flight Lieutenant Jeffery P. Moreau, please stand next to your commander," said the Turian councilor and everyone looked at Joker, they had all thought this trial was for Elissa, not for multiple crew members. Joker stood with some help from both Kaidan and Hannah, and he walked over to Elissa and she helped him stand up as straight as he could before the Council.

"Flight Lieutenant Moreau," said the Asari councilor, "you are on trial today concerning your continuation in the Alliance Military, Navy branch, today's portion of the trial will concern the charges being brought against you and given the chance to defend yourself. Tomorrow you will be visited by a psychologist and evaluated on whether or not you will be fit for duty, his findings will be taken into account on our verdict, and then two days later, we will have our verdict ready for you. Do you understand how these court proceedings will work?"

"Yes, ma'am," said Joker, his voice strong.

"The first charge is concerning your defection to the terrorist organization, Cerberus," said the Salarian councilor, "Do either of you deny that you did in fact defected to and then assisted the formerly mentioned organization?"

"I would like to point out to the Council and esteemed members of the military that I was proclaimed dead for two years," said Elissa sternly, "so technically, I was no longer affiliated with the Alliance when I was brought back to life and therefore did not truly defect to said terrorist organization."

There was muttering amongst the Council and the military officers over what Elissa had just said, she was actually rather impressed with her argument. They stopped muttering and the Council members turned to Elissa again.

"You have a point," said the Asari councilor, "but that—"

"That does not explain why you maintained you affiliation with Cerberus after you were reinstated as a member of the Alliance and as a Spectre!" interrupted the Turian councilor. "You could have left Cerberus and returned to the Alliance without question."

"Despite the fact Cerberus conducted questionable research," said Elissa defensively, pointing her finger at the Council, "they at least listened to me about the Collectors and the Reapers they were trying to do something about the impending invasion, unlike you three who practically waited until the last minute to believe the truth!"

"Not to mention," said Joker sharply, "you said nothing then about her affiliation with Cerberus even though you knew about it when you reinstated her as a Spectre and as a Commander."

"You will hold your tongue, Flight Lieutenant!" snapped the Turian councilor. Joker looked up at him menacingly, he wanted so badly to leap across the platform and beat the hell out of the councilor but knew that would not help his case.

"You mean you knew about Shepard being with Cerberus when you reinstated her?" asked Alliance Army General Windsor.

"Well, we, uh were told that she, uh. . ." said the Turian councilor, unable to form a decent defense. Elissa nearly did a backflip, no one had ever managed to leave any of the Councilors speechless, and Joker had shut the worst one of them up with just a simple statement of fact.

"I propose that since the Council was aware of Shepard's affiliation with Cerberus when they reinstated her as a Spectre, we dismiss this charge against her," said General Windsor and there was a murmur of speaking around him.

"I second the General's proposal," said Fleet Admiral Washburn, "there is no reason to put this against her if the Council has already accepted her affiliation with Cerberus by allowing her to retain her Spectre status."

"Was the Flight Lieutenant still with the Alliance when he was approached by Cerberus?" asked General Rowland of the Marines.

"Our reports say he was relieved of duty after the crash of the Normandy SR-1," said the Salarian councilor, "he was stripped of his rank and his pilot's license was taken away temporarily, after a period of time both were given back by the late Councilor Anderson."

"Fine, but was he with Cerberus when Anderson reinstated him back into the Alliance Navy?" asked General Rowland.

"Yes," said the Asari councilor, "based on the timeline, he was with Cerberus when he was reinstated by Councilor Anderson."

"Then the charge no longer applies to him either since he was not an Alliance soldier at the time he was with Cerberus," said General Rowland simply, "Anderson certainly saw to everything, didn't he?"

"Wait a minute," said the Turian councilor angrily, "What is going on here? We are supposed to be having a trial about these two, and now we are just dropping charges?"

"We gave them the chance to defend themselves against our accusations," said General Windsor solemnly, "They have both done so, quickly and efficiently, I might add."

"Well, this portion of the trial might not matter if the others provide the evidence we need," said the Turian councilor, waving his hand as he spoke.

"Commander Shepard, Flight Lieutenant Moreau," said the Asari councilor kindly, "you are free to go until this time tomorrow when you will both be evaluated by an Alliance psychologist."

"Thank you, Councilors, Generals," said Elissa and she saluted them, as did Joker, and they were given a salute in return from the generals. Everyone began to file out of the room, no one saying a word until they were out of ear shot, they did not want what they were saying to be used in the trial as potential evidence.

When they were outside Elissa rushed to Joker and embraced him, he was taken by surprise and had to brace himself quickly so he did not fall over with the force of her hug.

"Jeff, that was incredible!" exclaimed Elissa as they hugged, she loosened her hold on him enough to look at his face as she spoke, "I've never seen anyone shut that bastard up like that before, how did you do that?"

Joker blushed, his arms still around her waist, and he smiled at her this was the best compliment he had ever received for something that had nothing to do with flying, "It was nothing, Ellie, he had it coming besides it was a lot of fun to tell him off. I could not believe the crap that was coming out of his mouth, it's damn near disrespect."

"If we're done here, maybe we could go eat?" said Kaidan, his tone stern and almost angry as he stood there with his arms crossed.

"Great, where are we going?" asked Hannah, noticing the stance Kaidan was taking as he looked at Elissa and Joker embracing.

Elissa released her hold on Joker and went over to her mother, she hooked her arm through her mother's and they walked to the cab Hackett had summoned while they were standing outside of the Tower. "We're going to this great kabob place down in the Wards, it's run by this Greek chef from Earth, he makes phenomenal steak kabobs."

"I guess I better get EDI then," said Joker, as he fell in behind Elissa and her mother, "I'll take my own cab over to C-Sec, you guys go on ahead and get some lunch."

"I'll join you, Joker," said Jacob, "I wanted to call Brynn anyhow, see how Nick is doing, she said he was coming down with a cold."

"Cool, someone to split the fare with," said Joker smirking. He watched Hannah and Admiral Hackett get into the cab and he was amazed at how much Elissa looked like her mother, they could have been sisters they looked so much alike except for the eyes, Hannah's were bright blue whereas Elissa's were the perfect shade of green.

"See you there, uh, what was your name?" asked Hannah through the passenger's side window, obviously embarrassed that she had neglected to ask the young man's name earlier.

"Joker," said Joker grinning at her, almost laughing when she gave him a puzzled look. "It's my nickname from flight school, I'll tell you about it over lunch."

"Sounds like it is going to be very interesting," said Hannah smiling sweetly as she rolled up the cab window.

"See you over there, Joker, Jacob," said Kaidan as he got into the cab behind the driver.

Elissa waited by the door, not getting in right away, instead she brought Joker in for another hug, but this one was not as enthusiastic as before with this one she was trying to let him know how much she really appreciated him rushing to her defense. He wrapped his arms around her, keeping his hands above her waist, but she could feel him pull her closer to his body and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Jeff, thank you so much," said Elissa, "I don't think I could have gotten through that without you."

"Hey, what are friends for, Ellie?" asked Joker as his cheeks turned a bright pink color. She smiled at him and nodded, and then he released her, turning to the cab he opened her door for her and helped her in she slid next to Kaidan.

"Don't be too late," said Elissa as he closed the door, she looked at him through the window, and they shared a smile before the cab pulled away. She turned around and watched as Joker and Jacob grew smaller the further they drove, she felt kind of bad for leaving them behind but knew it was for a good reason. Looking over, she saw Kaidan appearing to be quite upset so she reached over and held his hand, feeling the warmth and power in his grip as their fingers laced.

"So who is this handsome young man you're holding hands with, Jackie?" asked Hannah, turning around to face her daughter.

"Mom, this is Major Kaidan Alenko, my fiance," said Elissa happily, beaming at Kaidan who smiled back at her.

"Fiance?" asked Hannah, surprised, "How long have you two known each other?"

"Over three years, Mom," said Elissa defensively, "we met on the _Normandy_ when I first took command."

"Oh," said Hannah in an understanding manner, "Where does your family hail from, Major Alenko?"

"Kaidan, ma'am," said Kaidan, "and my family comes from Vancouver, British Columbia."

"It's beautiful there this time of year," commented Hannah, "I visited there when I managed to get some shore leave on Earth, Elissa's father and I had a great time visiting the beach."

"Where is Ella's father currently, ma'am?" asked Kaidan and immediately regretted asking when he saw the looks on both of the women's faces.

"He died a while back," said Elissa softly, "about the time I was on Elysium actually, the day I got my medal for bravery, I was also given a flag in honor of his service to the Alliance."

"I'm sorry, Ella, I didn't know," said Kaidan quietly, feeling like an absolute idiot.

"It's fine," said Hannah, dismissively, "Anyway, have you two decided on a place to get married yet?"

"Yeah, we were thinking of getting married in my family's orchard in Vancouver," said Kaidan before Elissa had the chance to speak.

"How nice," said Hannah in a tone that sounded almost too kind, "When were you planning on telling me, Jackie?"

"We just got engaged yesterday, Mom," snapped Elissa feeling overwhelmed, "I was going to tell you once this trial travesty was over."

"Okay, honey, I was just trying to make conversation," said Hannah in a snarky tone, "no need to bite my head off."

They sat in an awkward silence the rest of the cab ride over to the Wards entrance, when they got there, Hackett said something about needing to speak with a merchant about a delivery so he stayed in the cab and the rest got out and went into the markets. The place seemed less busy than before but there were still people crowding everywhere, going this way and that, making it difficult to navigate to the food court. When they arrived at the food court, Elissa directed them over to the kabob stand, where the line was longest.

"Ella, why do you always insist on eating here?" whined Kaidan as they waited in line, "There are perfectly good restaurants topside."

"Where else can you get fresh souvlaki that doesn't taste like it was made with imitation chicken?" asked Elissa, as she looked over the crowd on her tiptoes.

"Damn, it's a mad house in here," said Joker as he got in line with them, EDI on his arm, Elissa smiled at her but EDI merely looked away pulling Joker's arm closer to her body.

"Tell me about it," sighed Kaidan, shaking his head, "How were you able to find us, the place is packed with people?"

"I saw Ellie's head bobbing above the crowd," said Joker and he winked at her, she blushed a bright shade of pink. "Is Kostopolous still behind the grill?"

"I think so, either that or his son," replied Elissa as she continued to look over the heads of the people in front of her.

"Glad to see you again, Admiral Shepard," said Joker happily, "may I introduce my lovely girlfriend, EDI."

"Pleased to meet you, Admiral Shepard," said EDI, shaking Hannah's hand eagerly, still not taking her arm from Joker's, "I have read many articles on the extranet about your various accomplishments, you have quite the impressive record."

"Thank you, EDI," said Hannah uneasily, "Jackie, are you sure you want to eat here, we are going to a very nice restaurant tonight?"

"Yes," said Elissa, emphasizing the word, "Why is everyone asking me if I'm sure I want to eat here, I love this place?"

"Hey, I'm on your side here, Ellie," said Joker then he jumped in pain, "Damn, EDI, watch how tight you grip my arm it's not a toy."

"Why don't you three go and find us a table," said Kaidan, "there's no need for all of us to stand here in this line." The three of them nodded and left the line.

"You alright, Joker?" asked Hannah, eyeing the AI suspiciously, as they walked to the nearest empty table, "No broken bones?"

"Nah, I'm fine," said Joker, sitting down, rubbing his arm while glaring at EDI. "How did you know that I get broken bones easily?"

"In her all too infrequent emails, Elissa talked a great deal about you, often praising your abilities as a pilot," said Hannah kindly, as she too sat down, "In one sentence, I actually almost missed it since it was such a short line, she mentioned that you had Vrolik Syndrome."

"Really? She emailed you about me?" asked Joker, looking over at Elissa who was being held by Kaidan, seeing her in his arms caused him to tense up.

"Yeah, if it weren't for those missions of hers I'm sure you would have been the only thing she wrote about," said Hannah, ruffling Joker's cap like Elissa did.

"Was there any mention of me in her emails to you?" asked EDI, jealously creeping into her voice.

"Yeah, I think so, she said something about an evil robot that was being inhabited by the ship's AI," said Hannah coldly, and she watched as EDI narrowed her eyes at her, the malice behind them very real.

Elissa and Kaidan appeared with three trays full of souvlaki and baklava and they sat down across from EDI and Joker, placing the food in between. They ate in silence, all were too hungry to really talk about what had happened at the trial, and then Elissa heard a beep from her omni-tool. She opened it to find an anonymous message that read:

_Beware the three-headed beast that guards the gates to Hell, it has many keepers._


	6. Something There

"You should tell the Council," said Kaidan, "there's no doubt about that." He and the rest of the squad including Hannah Shepard were sitting in the debriefing room of the _Normandy_. Elissa had called them all there to share the message she had received from an anonymous source while eating lunch a few hours ago, now she was asking them what they thought it could be and what she should do with the information it contained.

"Why should she? They already suspect her of conspiring with Cerberus, this would just confirm it for them," argued Joker and Elissa gave him a small smile.

"We don't even know if this has anything to do with Cerberus," said Kaidan sharply, "if this is a new threat then the Council and the generals should know about it."

"Shepard, what did the message say again?" asked Garrus, silencing Kaidan.

Elissa reopened her omni-tool and searched through the messages until she found the one she wanted, "Beware the three-headed beast that guards the gates to Hell, it has many keepers_._"

"A three-headed beast?" asked Tali, confused, "I thought most creatures had only one head."

"That description sounds familiar," said Elissa, closing her eyes and thinking about why that illustration sounded even vaguely recognizable. Her eyes snapped open, she had a theory about the creature being described and ran out of the room, startling everyone as they watched her bolting out of the debriefing room. Before the door closed she shouted, "No one leave!"

"I think she had a breakthrough," chuckled Hannah, "she used to do that when she was a kid, always running from the room whenever she got an idea, claiming she had to write it down or look it up before she forgot."

Joker suddenly got a flash of Elissa as a child, her golden brown hair streaming back as she ran, her green eyes sparkling with excitement at the prospect of a new idea. He felt himself smiling and had no idea why but he quickly stopped when he saw the looks he was getting from the crew and Admiral Shepard.

Suddenly Elissa came bolting back into the room, a thick green book in her hands, a huge smile plastered on her face.

"What did you find?" asked Jacob, starting to smile as well, the excitement Elissa was demonstrating was infectious.

"In Greek and Roman mythology," started Elissa, nearly breathless after her dash across the ship, "there is a three-headed dog that guards the entrance to the Underworld, preventing humans from entering and only letting souls through, the name of that creature was Cerberus."

"As if that wasn't obvious enough," muttered Kaidan, shaking his head.

"Stow the attitude, Major," snapped Hannah, spinning around to face him and Kaidan saluted out of respect, though Joker and a few others saw the look he gave her when she turned her back to him.

"So this is Cerberus again, right Lola?" asked James, trying to ease the tension brewing in the room.

"Yeah, it is, James," sighed Elissa her excitement now gone, "Now it's the last part of the message that's worrying me."

"Why's that, Shepard?" asked Garrus, his curiosity now piqued.

"Well, in the myth," said Elissa, flipping to the marked page in the book, "the dog Cerberus had only one keeper, Hades the Lord of the Underworld, which in our case would suggest the Illusive Man. The message says 'many keepers', so whomever sent it is implying that there are still people running Cerberus operations."

"Damn," whispered James, "so now someone else is running Cerberus? I thought we shut those guys down months ago, you know, when you shot their leader?"

"Apparently not, Vega, otherwise this message wouldn't have been sent," snapped Kaidan and James jumped to his feet, standing toe to toe with Kaidan.

"Listen up, Major," said James in a hard voice, "I don't take shit from anyone, and that includes you, rank means nothing when you insult me."

"I think you should remember your place, Vega, dogs belong at their master's feet," hissed Kaidan, his hands glowing blue, James cracked his knuckles menacingly.

"Vega, Alenko, stand down now!" shouted Elissa. The two soldiers looked at each other and then both stepped away and sat back in their respective seats, Elissa keeping her eyes on both of them.

"I think the crew needs to be dismissed, Elissa," whispered Hannah in Elissa's ear and she nodded in silent agreement.

"We'll discuss this later, until then, dismissed," said Elissa and Kaidan bolted out of there faster than anyone else, James hung back, waiting for Elissa who was standing in the center of the room shaking, she had never thought that Kaidan would say such a thing to a friend.

"Lola," said James quietly as he walked up to her, "I'm sorry for what happened, I—"

"You were just defending yourself," interrupted Elissa calmly, smiling at him, "I don't know what got in him, yesterday we were all laughing and joking, today we're at each others' throats over a cryptic message. What's next, we're going to pull guns on each other over someone taking the last dessert at dinner?"

James laughed, "When it does come to that, I hope I'm on your side."

"James," said Elissa in all seriousness, "if I were you, give the Major a wide berth, I'll try to keep him off the ship as often as I can but when he's on just stay away from him."

"Okay, Lola," said James, putting his arm around her shoulders, "I'll do that, but only because you asked me to."

"Thanks, James," said Elissa, grinning as they left the debriefing room, he then left to return to the workout room and she went to the the observation deck.

* * *

Joker was sitting in the observation deck, fingers laced and hands in his lap, looking out at the mechanics and engineers running all over making repairs to various ships, he was so absorbed in watching the goings on of the dock he did not hear Elissa enter behind him. Only when she sat down beside him did he even register her presence in the room.

"You're losing you touch," said Elissa smiling, "I managed to get from the door to right beside you and you didn't say a word."

"Sorry to disappoint you, Ellie," said Joker, moving closer to her, "I was just thinking about all of this."

"Any theories?" asked Elissa, now looking at the ceiling.

"I think Kaidan's wrong about you needing to tell the Council," said Joker, glancing over at Elissa, she had resumed her position of looking out of the window. Some wisps of hair had escaped her bun, and out of habit he reached over and gently put them behind her ear, his fingertips grazing her cheek as he did. He felt a bolt of electricity surge through him when his skin made contact with hers, he thought Elissa must have felt it too, since at his touch she closed her eyes and the tiniest smiled danced on her mouth.

"I agree with you," whispered Elissa, her body relaxing under his fingertips, then his fingers left her skin, she opened her eyes, and the feeling of relaxation went away. Neither of them spoke for a few seconds, both were trying to shake the feeling that had just hit them when their skin touched, neither one able to truly make sense of what they felt.

"Do you, uh, really think Cerberus is behind this?" asked Elissa nervously, picking the skin on her finger to quell her anxiety.

"I don't know, Ellie," said Joker, watching her pick her fingers, "this doesn't seem like their game, politics are a dirty business anyway, so it could be any number of people or reasons behind the message. Maybe we should have Liara trace the message, see where it came from if possible, after the trial of course."

"And after dinner with my mother," said Elissa standing, then offering her hand to Joker, which he took and she helped him stand as well, "wear something nice, you're coming with us too."

"Ellie, I'm not really part of the squad," said Joker, "besides, why would I want to sit there and watch Kaidan kiss up to your mother? It's hard enough to watch him schmooze the other officers on this ship, that dog comment was just what he needed to say to gain him further respect and admiration."

"Smart ass," smirked Elissa and they smiled at each other for a few seconds, neither one realizing it until they heard a noise behind them and Joker saw EDI standing in the doorway. He dropped his smile immediately just as EDI went walking off in the other direction, then with one look, they both agreed to leave the room and go their separate ways.

* * *

Elissa was standing in the bathroom, she was having trouble curling her hair, nothing was staying curled and it was frustrating her to no end that her hair refused to cooperate.

"I should have it written up for insubordination," muttered Elissa, as she released her hair from the hot iron.

"Having trouble, sweetie?" called Hannah from the bedroom and then she came in to see what was taking her daughter so long with her hair.

"Yeah, my hair has decided to mutiny," sighed Elissa and she put the curler on the counter.

"Here, let me help you," said Hannah chuckling and Elissa got on her knees while her mother stood behind her with the curling iron and she started what her daughter had decided not to finish. She took a small bunch of hair and put it in the iron, spraying hairspray on the curl while it was in the iron, something Elissa had not done.

"So Mom," said Elissa slyly, "what do you think of Kaidan?"

"As long as he makes you happy, I'm happy," said Hanna after a few moments pause.

"Mom, that's exactly what you said about Duncan," huffed Elissa, "and then he cheated on me with that slut Trisha and you said, 'I knew that would happen'. So what is your honest opinion about Kaidan?"

"Honey, why does it matter what I think, I'm not the one who's marrying him?" asked Hannah slightly exasperated with her daughter.

"Mom, you know I always come to you about boys," said Elissa wiggling on her knees as they went numb, "Why are you being so reserved?"

"If you want my honest opinion, you can't argue, since you asked for it," said Hannah, remembering several conversations that had to have that exact disclaimer, even at a young age Elissa had been more stubborn than a donkey and would argue when she was challenged in opinion. Being in the Navy had straightened that out for the most part, but she still would not back down from a challenge, as Hannah knew from reading some of the reports her daughter had written over the years.

"Alright, Mom, I won't argue," sighed Elissa, feeling the warmth from the newly made curl hit her cheek.

"I think you should reevaluate you decision to marry him," said Hannah as she prepped another curl, "after that display this afternoon, I half expected him to turn on you when you told him to stand down."

"Mom, Kaidan's always been a bit of a hot head," said Elissa in a tone that suggested this was not a big deal.

"Jackie, if this doesn't work out, there's always someone else who might be your perfect match," said Hannah thinking specifically of her daughter's pilot who always seemed to brighten up Elissa's day.

"Mom, I've known Kaidan for a very long time," said Elissa defensively, "and he's always been there for me—"

"How long have you been with Kaidan exactly?" interrupted Hannah, "From start to now."

"Umm we knew each other for about a year, and spent one night together," said Elissa, blushing fiercely as she regaled her private life to her mother, "then I died and we were apart for two years, then after I was resurrected, he and I had a major fight on a rescue mission to Horizon, he accused me of treason. Then we got back together last year and everything's been fine for the most part."

"So you two spent one night together and automatically you were his?" asked Hannah, "That's rather presumptuous of him, don't you think?"

"Well, I don't know, maybe," said Elissa, uneasily.

"Sounds to me like he was already scheming to be with you from the start," muttered Hannah as she pinned up Elissa's hair. "I still can't get over the fact he didn't know your father was dead, all of the time you two spend together, I would have thought you would have spoken about him at some point."

"I just assumed he knew," said Elissa in a raised tone, "I mean, even Joker knows."

"Does he now?" asked Hannah a coy grin on her face.

"Yeah, we talked about Dad a couple of times," said Elissa, not seeing her mother's face, "apparently Dad spoke at Jeff's flight school once and it made a lasting impression on him."

"Well, at least you know where you get your motivational speaking abilities," said Hannah as she finished Elissa's hair. "There, just right, now to get you a proper dress." Hannah left the bathroom before Elissa had a chance to stand up.

"Mom, I have a perfectly good dress already," said Elissa using the counter to help herself up off of the floor.

"It's just, you look so much better in color," said Hannah pulling out a royal blue dress for Elissa to wear.

"Mom, please," pleaded Elissa, "just let me wear my black dress."

"Nope, I get to dress up my daughter tonight," said Hannah firmly and she unzipped the dress and motioned for Elissa to go and put it on. Rolling her eyes, Elissa took the dress back into the bathroom and she put it on, managing to get it zipped without any help. When she walked out Hannah felt tears welling in her eyes, she had not ever seen her daughter so well dressed in a very long time.

The dress went down to Elissa's ankles, a slit on the right side that went from the hem to her mid-thigh, there was a sweetheart neckline that accentuated her breasts and elongated her neck. Elissa looked at herself in the mirror and sighed, she thought she looked ridiculous, "Mom, I look like one of the consorts."

"Oh, Elissa, you'd be worth a lot more than most of those women," said Hannah tugging the dress to smooth out some of the wrinkles. "Now you go and fix your make-up while I go and get ready I'll meet you there at the restaurant, I've already sent the directions to your omni-tool, I'll see you and your squad in about an hour or so. Bye, Jackie!"

Hannah left Elissa's cabin before her daughter could reply but like a diligent soldier, Elissa went to the bathroom and fixed her make-up following her mother's orders, she even put on the thin gold chain her father had given her when she had enlisted with the Alliance. After a few looks in the mirror, Elissa approved of her appearance immensely, glad that she had allowed her mother to dress her.

"Commander Shepard," said EDI through her original platform.

"Yes, EDI?" answered Elissa, still looking at herself in the mirror.

"There is a limousine waiting on the docks," said EDI, "the driver is claiming that Admiral Shepard sent it to you and the crew."

Elissa smiled, this was so typical of her mother, making even a simple dinner into a night out on the town. "Thank you, EDI, please inform those of the crew who are going to wait by the limo when they are finished getting ready."

"Of course, Commander," said EDI. Elissa decided that it was time for her to start heading out but she had something to do first.

"EDI, please inform the rest of the crew that they are allowed shore leave for the next three days until my trial is over," said Elissa as she got into the elevator and pressed the down button.

"Yes, Commander, does that include me?" asked EDI, ever since she had been implanted into that body, she had been considered part of the crew despite the fact she was still within the Normandy.

"Of course, EDI, you knew that already," said Elissa smiling as she departed the elevator, and she nearly walked right into James.

"Whoa, sorry, Lo—" started James but when he saw her all dressed up, he was unable to speak, he just stood there staring at her.

"It's alright, James," said Elissa, and when she saw the look on his face she smirked at him, "Is everything alright, James?"

"Uh, yeah, just never seen you in a dress before," said James, averting his eyes, "you look very nice, Lola."

"Thank you, James," said Elissa smiling, "Aren't you going to get ready? You're coming with us to dinner, right?"

"Not with the loco Major," sneered James, "I'm expecting a delivery of new punching bags anyhow, we should test them out together, see who can break the most."

"Sounds like a date," said Elissa and she play punched James in the shoulder.

"Don't tell the Major about our date, he might try to put me in my place again," said James brightly as he went into the elevator. Elissa nodded and went on her way down the CIC, noticing that most if not all of the men who were sitting around were having to pick up their jaws from the floor. When she got to the bridge, she saw that most of the crew was waiting in the cockpit with Joker, all of them looking their best. Liara was wearing a pink silk dress that had a V-shape cut in the back that ran from the shoulders to her hips, Garrus had polished up his black and white tux and looked very regal, Tali had put a new head covering on and her suit was even more beautiful than usual. Jacob had put on the red tux he had gotten married in, and Steve was wearing something of his own creation a tux of emerald silk with silver trimmings. Elissa looked at Joker and could feel her heart flutter slightly, he was wearing brown slacks with a nice light blue dress shirt underneath and a cream colored suit jacket on top, his cap was gone and he had combed his hair even trimmed his beard. She felt that she needed to do something other than stare at her crew members so she tried to think of something to say.

"You guys look great!" exclaimed Elissa, not really sure why she was so surprised at how nicely everyone cleaned up.

"She sounds surprised," smirked Steve.

"I guess she thinks we're all dogs," remarked Garrus.

"Hey, that was Kaidan not me," said Elissa, in a serious tone.

"Speaking of," said Liara, "where is the Major?"

"Well, last I saw he was going upstairs to change," said Jacob, "but that was over an hour ago."

"Do you think he's in the limo already?" asked Joker as EDI gently brushed something from his shoulder.

"Should we just leave without him?" asked Tali, fidgeting with her gloves.

"Like hell you will," said Kaidan from behind Elissa and she turned to see him wearing the same tuxedo he had worn when they had gone undercover at the casino a few months back.

"You're looking rather radiant tonight, Commander," said Kaidan, winking at her as he offered her his arm, which she took easily.

"Thank you, Major," said Elissa, blushing, "Are we all ready to go?" The group nodded and they all left the Normandy, eagerly getting into the limousine where soon they were all laughing and chatting about this and that.

"Who wants some champagne?" asked Kaidan, pulling the bottle out of the bucket of ice. There were resounding cheers as Kaidan popped the cork and poured several glasses full of the drink, passing them around to various people.

"Are there any emergency induction ports around here?" asked Tali and Liara handed her a straw from the bar, Liara even had a glass of champagne in her hand that she was sipping on.

"Liara, you're pregnant, should you really be drinking?" asked Elissa as she sipped her drink.

"Asari can drink while pregnant unlike humans," remarked Liara.

"Asari have it made," grumbled Tali who was already on her second glass of champagne.

"Sure you don't want a glass, Joker?" asked Kaidan offering a glass to him.

"Nah, I prefer a drink with an umbrella," said Joker and he kissed EDI's cheek.

"Where is your mother taking us for dinner, Shepard?" asked Garrus, moving uncomfortably in his seat, trying to adjust his tux.

"Not sure," said Elissa as she put her champagne flute down. "Either way, why question it? My mother's treating us to a nice night out, so enjoy it!"

"Do you think it's an engagement present?" asked Kaidan as he sat further back into the seat, pulling Elissa closer to him.

"I don't know," said Elissa, putting her head on his shoulder, watching the lights of the Citadel pass in the window as the limo sped along.

"I think we should toast Admiral Shepard!" shouted Jacob, obviously tipsy as he raised his glass.

"To Admiral Shepard!" shouted the rest and they all laughed, even Kaidan seemed to be having a good time despite what happened earlier. Elissa allowed herself to relax despite knowing what was going to happen tomorrow, there was good company and alcohol flowing, nothing could kill her buzz right now.


	7. Dance the Night Away

They arrived at the restaurant a few minutes later, everyone looked out of the window and some gasped, they were eating at one of the most expensive places on the Citadel, the Horizon. The limo entered the cul-de-sac driveway in front of the restaurant and stopped, then a footman opened the door, helping the women that were exiting the car, then when they were all out of the limo the footman closed the door and the car drove to the parking garage. Kaidan offered Elissa his arm which she took and when they started walking up the stairs she turned saw that the other men in her squad had each taken one of the women by their arm as well: Joker had EDI on his arm, Garrus was with Tali, and Liara was with Jacob.

"Do you need a date, Steve?" asked Elissa as the doors swung open and Steve merely smiled.

"I've got someone waiting for me here, Elissa," said Steve as they entered. Elissa could hear everyone gasping behind her as they all filed into the restaurant, even she was speechless as she looked around, admiring the room. There was one big dining room, a dance floor, a high cathedral ceiling above the dining room that had a giant crystal chandelier hovering in the center, and all about them were people dressed in the finest of clothes.

"Do you have a reservation?" asked the Maitre'D to Elissa.

"We're here to meet my mother, Admiral Hannah Shepard, she said she had the reservation," replied Elissa, a little nervous.

"Ah, yes," said the Maitre'D as he looked down at his list, "Madame Shepard is already waiting for you in our VIP room, if you allow, I will lead you there."

"Thank you, sir," said Elissa and the Maitre'D motioned for the group to follow him to the VIP room. Elissa walked past several tables full of people she recognized from the embassy, mostly ambassadors but there were a few delegates as well, some smiled at her others gave her a rather nasty glare. She gripped Kaidan's arm a little tighter as she passed by the tables, nervous someone was going to pull a gun on her or her friends, Elissa was relieved when they reached the VIP room and saw her mother sitting there already.

"Madame Shepard, your guests," said the Maitre'D and he bowed to them all before leaving. Kaidan led her to the chair nearest her mother and pulled the chair out for her and she sat down, he then pushed in the chair and sat next to her, as the rest mimicked what he had done for her. When they were all seated, a waiter appeared with a couple of bottles of wine and a tray full of crystal wine glasses, he pulled out the corks and poured everyone a glass then passed one to each of the crew mates.

"I hope no one minds," said Hannah as she accepted her glass, "I pre-ordered the wine, but if it's not what you want, then please feel free to order whichever drink you like."

Elissa took a sip of the wine and nearly moaned with pleasure, this was the best wine she had ever tasted, it was sweet but tasted like it would go with any meal she ate including dessert.

"Mom, I have never tasted wine like this before," said Elissa happily.

"Most haven't, this wine is made from frozen white grapes that only are found in Antarctica," said Hannah as she sipped her wine, "I fell in love with this stuff after your father brought a bottle to your birth, to celebrate afterwards, of course."

"This is good," said Kaidan, "but I already have the wine for the wedding picked out, it's a very nice red, made from Venetian grapes."

"Red? Kaidan, I prefer white, you know that," said Elissa slightly upset that he had picked a wine without even asking her what she wanted.

"Well, our menu is beef, and red wine goes well with red meat," said Kaidan.

"Wait, when did you make all of these decisions?" asked Elissa, surprised he already had the menu, wine, and venue already picked out and they had only been engaged for about two days at most.

"I have been planning our wedding since before we got engaged," replied Kaidan, trying to make it sound like he was doing her a favor.

"Well what if she had said no?" asked Joker, who was sitting across from Elissa. "You would have made plans for nothing, Maj."

"I knew she would say yes," answered Kaidan smugly and Elissa really wanted to smack the smug look from his face.

"What else do you have already planned without my input?" asked Elissa, now very irritated with her fiance.

"Flowers, band, guest list," said Kaidan, ticking off his fingers as he named off categories, "let's see, the cake, and I made you an appointment for your dress."

"Kaidan, why did you do this?" asked Elissa in a quiet whisper, "I was kinda hoping to plan the wedding, not do nothing."

"Ella, I just wanted you to be relaxed," said Kaidan putting his arm around her shoulders. "Weddings are stressful and you deserve to be stress-free after all you've been through—"

"Kaidan, you're acting as if I have a fragile demeanor that will crack the moment I experience the tiniest bit of trouble," interrupted Elissa.

"I just wanted you to be happy," said Kaidan taking her hand in his.

"I'd be happier if I was allowed to plan my own wedding," said Elissa through gritted teeth.

"Ella, this isn't the time or place, we'll talk about this later," said Kaidan, also through gritted teeth, trying to make the situation not as tense as it was becoming.

"What are you going to have to eat?" asked Hannah, turning to Elissa, trying not to reach across her daughter and punch her future son-in-law.

"I'm going to have the swordfish with—" started Kaidan.

"I wasn't asking you, dear, I was asking my daughter," replied Hannah looking at Elissa, Kaidan turned bright red as he heard a snicker or two from around the table.

"I am going to have the ricotta stuffed filet mignon," said Elissa grateful to her mother for intervening.

"What about you, Joker, dear?" asked Hannah, deliberately turning to Joker and ignoring Kaidan.

"I think I'll be dining on the rotisserie chicken," said Joker, trying not to look at the glare he was getting from Kaidan from across the table.

"Excellent choice," said Hannah approvingly, "EDI, is there anything we can get you?"

"No, thank you, Admiral," said EDI pleasantly, "I will merely sit and observe while adding to the conversation when I see the proper time for my own input."

"How very kind of you, dear," said Hannah nodding politely.

"What are you going to have, Admiral Shepard?" asked Joker, trying now not to smile as Kaidan continued to glare at him.

"Hannah, please," said Hannah, patting Joker on the arm, "and I believe I'll be having the veal, it's very delicious."

"Sounds like an excellent choice, Hannah," said Kaidan trying to be polite to his future mother-in-law.

"Admiral Shepard to you, Major," said Hannah reprovingly with her eyes slightly narrowed.

"This isn't going to end well," Elissa heard Garrus mutter from the other end of the table and she resisted the urge to laugh. Shortly after that comment, the waiter came by and took their orders, then chatter resumed though Kaidan did not talk much to Elissa, Hannah, or Joker but more to Liara and Steve who were sitting close to him.

"So how did you get your nickname, Joker?" asked Hannah, smiling at him. "You never did get the chance to tell me at lunch."

"My instructor from flight school," said Joker, taking a sip of his wine before continuing, "I never really smiled much in class, so she thought she'd be funny and call me Joker, the name just stuck with me."

"I haven't seen you not smiling," commented Hannah, "why were you so glum in class?"

"I was working too hard," said Joker simply, "I wanted everyone there to know that any and all marks I earned was because of time and energy spent on studying not because I was a charity case."

"I'm glad you were able to accomplish what you had set out to do," said Hannah, "I've known several pilots who couldn't do half of what you have been able to, flying into a volcano is risky for even a veteran pilot."

"You know about that?" asked Joker brightly, looking at Elissa who smiled at him.

"Of course I do," said Hannah, "I know about every time you pulled my daughter's ass out of the fire, I was very glad to hear she had someone looking out for her."

"Someone had to, I mean she doesn't exactly listen when you tell her not to go somewhere," said Joker winking at Elissa who smirked at him.

"Tell me about it," sighed Hannah patting her daughter's hand, "When she was about eleven, I told her not to go walking on this frozen pond near our house, she did listen actually but then a friend of hers decided to go out on the water. Jackie told her not to, and she was right to warn her, her friend fell through the ice and Jackie charged out there without a second's hesitation. She pulled her friend out of the ice, then was scolding her as they got back on dry land, I then reprimanded Jackie for not listening to me about going onto the ice."

"That's what happened with Ilos," said Joker, looking at Elissa as he spoke, "The Council told her not to go, we stole the Normandy, made it to Ilos and then she saved the Citadel and the Council. How do they repay her? They send her on a fool's errand looking for Geth after telling her she's on probation."

"See, that's why I'm glad I only have to answer to other admirals instead of the Council," said Hannah as the food arrived on silver trays. The chatter stopped and was replaced with the sounds of scraping and clattering of silverware against the china dishes, everyone was eating and were enjoying their food too much to stop for much talk.

"Will anyone want to see the dessert cart?" asked the waiter as he prepared to leave.

"Bring it out in about twenty minutes," said Hannah, as she cut into her veal and the waiter nodded, "I think everyone will be wanting something sweet by then."

It did not take Elissa twenty minutes to eat her meal, so she sat there with her empty plate in front of her as she watched everyone around her still eating, then she heard the music playing and saw some of the guests dancing on the dance floor. Elissa started to sway slightly in her seat in time with the music, wanting desperately to be out there dancing with the rest of the people.

"Kaidan, would you like to dance?" asked Elissa, hopefully.

"No, not really, Ella," replied Kaidan as he watched one of the waitresses pouring a glass of wine for Steve.

"Oh, okay," said Elissa disappointed, she looked down at her lap, picking her fingers to keep herself from thinking too much about the music and dancing.

Joker looked at her, he could tell she was upset that Kaidan had rejected her offer to go dancing, so he boldly stood and offered her his hand, "Come on, Ellie, I'll dance with you."

Elissa looked up and smiled at him, accepting his hand and he led her out of the VIP room, shocked stares following them as they left.

"I have to see this," said Jacob, when they were gone, and he stood as well along with the rest of the table and they stood with the rest of the crowd as Elissa and Joker walked onto the dance floor.

Joker put his hand on her waist, pulled her close and then they began to waltz, looking as if they were flying across the dance floor. He twirled her with ease, not hitting anyone as they moved across the floor, he was glad when he saw Elissa smiling as they continued to dance impressing their friends.

"I'm surprised he knows how to dance," whispered Garrus to Steve.

"Looks like they're really having a good time," said Jacob and Tali nodded.

"They look good together, don't they?" observed Hannah to Liara who nodded and Kaidan glared at her.

"He looks like an idiot," muttered Kaidan as he watched on, fuming.

Elissa was amazed at the grace Joker possessed, he had told her he did not dance out of fear of breaking a bone but here on the dance floor, no one would have believed him if told them he had Vrolik Syndrome. The way his legs effortlessly moved in time with the music and the fact he did not have to stare at his feet to know where he was going proved that there was certainly more to him than meets the eye. She enjoyed the feeling of his hand on her waist and the way of her hand felt in his, she surrendered herself to his control and much like how he could make the _Normandy_ dance, he was making her waltz. She did not notice the shocked faces from her friends, the glowing smile from her mother as she and Joker danced by, or the hateful glare that Kaidan was firing at them.

_'She's in my arms, I'm actually dancing with her,'_ thought Joker as he pulled Elissa along with him, her arm was around his shoulders and he was holding her hand, not only that but his legs did not hurt in the slightest. Looking into her eyes, he saw what he had earlier that day while talking in the observation deck, the way her eyes gleamed in the light and her wide smile made his heart soar with joy he had not felt before and he had no intention of letting it stop for as long as he could. The music began to slow down, indicating that the song was going to end in the next few seconds and when it did, Joker dipped Elissa as everyone around them broke out into a round of applause. He was in no hurry to pull her back up, they were both breathlessly laughing from exhaustion and joy, enjoying the applause they were receiving and when he did help her up he was very careful not to get caught by her high heel.

"Wow, Jeff, I had no idea you could dance like that," said Elissa as she caught her breath.

"My sister taught me," said Joker as he escorted her off of the dance floor, "she needed a partner when she was learning and I was her default guy."

"Well, you're aces," said Elissa as they walked back to their friends whom had all gathered by the bar.

"Joker that was amazing!" shouted Steve, passing him a drink with an umbrella.

"I did not realize you could dance!" exclaimed Tali from atop one of the stools.

"You never cease to impress, huh, Joker?" asked Garrus as he clapped him on the back.

Joker blushed as praise was showered down on him, though none of the words his friends were saying could elicit the same feelings that the way Elissa was looking at him in that moment was.

"Where's the Major?" asked Elissa when she saw he was not standing with them.

"Last I saw, he was talking up some waitress," said Jacob and pointed behind Elissa and she saw him leaning up against a wall with a pretty brunette laughing at whatever he was saying.

"Lousy bastard," muttered Elissa darkly, now trembling with rage, "EDI, make sure that the Major does not enter my cabin from now until I say so."

"Yes, Commander," said EDI, "revoking his access now."

"Thank you, EDI," said Elissa grateful that EDI was not being as cold to her as before at least for the moment.

"Jackie, are you going to be alright?" asked Hannah, placing her hand gently on her daughter's shoulder.

"Yeah, I will be," said Elissa, turning back to the group, "I need something strong to drink, right now."

"No, absolutely not," said Hannah firmly, "This is not the time to be drinking, just relax, he's not making out with her just talking with her."

"Fine," sighed Elissa as she sat down at the bar, she glanced over and saw that Joker was now standing with EDI, his arm around her waist.

"Maybe you and I should dance, Jeff," said EDI, looking over at Elissa, trying to be heard over the clamor of the other patrons.

"In a few, EDI," said Joker, kissing her cheek, "my legs need a few moments."

"Hey, Steve, where's your date?" asked Garrus as he pulled Tali closer.

"Right here," said Steve happily as an attractive man in a dark blue suit approached the group, he kissed Steve before turning to the rest of the group.

"Hello, I'm Edward Oakley," said Edward, smiling at them, "I'm very happy to meet all of you, Stevie talks about you guys all of the time, mostly about a certain Commander Shepard, where is she?"

"Hi, call me Elissa," said Elissa, shaking hands with Edward, "it's a pleasure to meet you, please forgive me, I just saw my fiance chatting up a waitress so if I seem out of sorts that's why."

"Understandable," said Edward, "Stevie, would you like a drink?"

"Thank you, Eddie," said Steve as Edward ordered him a Bloody Mary.

"Stevie?" said Joker, trying to control the grin that was spreading across his face.

"Shut up, Jeffie," said Steve in a mocking tone, and Joker blushed.

"Hmm, I think I shall start to call Jeff 'Jeffie' as per your suggestion, Lieutenant Cortez," said EDI and Joker looked as if someone had just canceled Christmas.

"Good idea, EDI," smirked Steve as he accepted his drink from Edward, "Eddie and I are going to head to the Flux in a few minutes, does anyone want to join us?"

"Tali?" asked Garrus, looking at her with hope.

"Sure, what harm could it do?" said Tali as Garrus stood up.

"Liara, Jacob, do you guys want to come?" asked Steve.

"Sure," said Liara and Jacob nodded.

"Joker, are you and EDI going with us?" asked Tali.

"I don't really feel like going out, but if EDI wants to, I won't stop her," said Joker and EDI patted him on the shoulder.

"I will go," said EDI cheerfully, "I would very much like to go dancing at the Flux, and with the Commander indisposed, we should have a better time."

Elissa's head shot up and she gave EDI a surprised look, that was the last thing she had expected to come out of the AI's mouth.

"And on that note," said Steve, standing quickly, "I think we should grab the limo and head over there."

"I agree," said Garrus and Tali nodded, those who were going to the club quickly exited the restaurant including EDI, not giving Elissa the chance to reply to what she had said.

Hannah and Joker stood there looking at Elissa's shocked face, neither one knowing what to say to make her cheer up.

"Ellie, I—" started Joker.

"I don't want to hear it," snapped Elissa, turning around to face him, "I already have enough crap to deal with and now I have a mouthy AI to take care of, all because of you." She pointed a finger accusingly at him as she stood up.

"Because of me?" asked Joker defensively.

"You unshackled her which allowed her to then transplant herself into that body," said Elissa harshly, not really angry with him but she needed to vent somehow and unfortunately he was standing there, "Either you get her back in line or I'll dismantle her myself." She stormed off to the outside of the restaurant, tears threatening to spill, her body shaking with unreleased rage.

"Don't take what she says personally, Joker," said Hannah when she saw his face, "She's just upset about the trial, and that fiance of hers isn't helping matters and neither is EDI, you just happened to be standing here when she lost it."

"I know," said Joker quietly, "I know, she's not having the best week right now."

"I think she needs a friend right now," said Hannah putting her hand on Joker's shoulder, "Take her back to the ship, I'll deal with her fiance." She motioned her head towards Kaidan who was now sharing a drink with the waitress he had been talking to earlier.

"Will do, Hannah," said Joker smiling and he walked out of the restaurant, he saw Elissa sitting on a bench with her hair unpinned. He sat next to her and pulled off his jacket to give to her as a gesture of good will.

"Thanks, Joker," said Elissa accepting the jacket and giving him a weak smile. "Where's my mom and Kaidan?"

"Back inside," said Joker, "your mom's trying to pry the Major away from that waitress he was flirting with, they're having some drinks."

"Bastard," sighed Elissa, running her fingers through her loose curls, "Why did he have to do this to me?"

"You've already answered your own question, he's a bastard," said Joker, shrugging his shoulders, "I'm under orders to take you back to the _Normandy_ but if you prefer to go somewhere else, I'll follow you there."

"I think I just want to go for a walk," said Elissa, standing, "Do you want to come with me?"

"Of course," said Joker standing with a little difficulty, "but we might have to make that a drive, my legs are screaming for me to put them out of their misery."

"I think there's a cab stand," said Elissa, giving him a sweet smile, then she hailed a cab over and they climbed in.

"Think your mom and the Major will be fine?" asked Joker as he slid into the cab.

"Yeah, she can handle anything," said Elissa with a tone of admiration.

"You two are a lot alike," said Joker as he relaxed in the plush seats, Elissa blushed.

"Where to?" asked the cabbie.

"Just drive around," said Elissa as she leaned back into the seat as well, "we'll pay you, I promise."

"Okay," said the cabbie as he pulled into traffic. Joker looked over and saw that Elissa had her head pressed against the glass, looking out gloomily at the lights zooming by as they drove along. He could tell she was thinking about Kaidan and what the outcome of the trial might be he knew he needed to bring her back out of her mind, one of the most dangerous places in the galaxy, so he reached over and pulled her close to him letting her head rest on his shoulder.

"Joker, I—" started Elissa but between the warmth of his body and the feeling of comfort she was getting from being in his arms, she could not bring herself to speak, there was nothing to say right now.

"Comfy, Ellie Belly?" asked Joker and he laughed at the look on her face, it was one of fury and embarrassment, utterly priceless in his book.

"She told you," said Elissa, sitting up looking at his smiling face, wanting to punch him but knowing that would not make him forget her most embarrassing nickname of all.

"Yeah, at the trial," said Joker trying to stifle his laughter, "I think it's cute."

"That's what you said about 'Ellie'," scoffed Elissa as she leaned back against his shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, she could feel his fingers working into her hair and massaging her head.

"Ellie's cuter," said Joker, kissing her forehead softly, Elissa could feel a chill go down her spine as his lips touched her skin.

"Joker, you're the best," yawned Elissa, closing her eyes as she snuggled against Joker, pulling his jacket around her like a blanket.

"Tell me something I don't know," said Joker quietly, smiling down at her, he knew she was sound asleep when he felt her breathing deepen.

"Your wife, she is very pretty," said the cabbie as they continued to drive.

"Yeah, she really is," said Joker dreamily, he was still looking at her though periodically glancing out of the window as the rest of the world went by.

"How long have you two been married?" asked the cabbie.

"Umm about four, five years now," said Joker, thinking about how much time they had served together on the _Normandy_ and the time he had spent watching Cerberus rebuild her.

"Any kids?" asked the cabbie, merging into another lane.

"One, but she's plenty for right now," replied Joker, now thinking of just the _Normandy_, which was really just like a big baby that he and Elissa were responsible for. "What about you?"

"Oh, I have three kids," said the cabbie, "Robert, Ursula, and Ben. My wife, Laura, is pregnant with our fourth. Our kids have a bet on what the sex is, so far we have a fifty-fifty split since Ben's too young to understand exactly what's going on, personally I'm hoping for another little girl."

"How come?" asked Joker as Elissa moved slightly in her sleep.

"Don't get me wrong I love my sons, but daughters, they give a whole new meaning to your life," said the cabbie, his voice getting a slight lilt to it as he spoke about what it meant to have a daughter.

"So mysterious cabbie who is sharing life wisdom with a total stranger," said Joker, "can I get a name?"

"Marshall Stenson," said Marshall cheerfully, "Do you and your wife live around here?"

"Yeah, we have an apartment close by," said Joker when he realized they were in the housing district of the Citadel, he then told Marshall the address to Anderson's apartment and soon they were pulling up to its outside.

"Ellie," said Joker, shaking her slightly, "Ellie, wake up, you gotta walk and I can't carry you. Come on, Ellie."

Elissa's eyes fluttered open, she blinked a couple of times, then looked up and saw Joker's smiling face, she smiled back and said groggily, "Hey, where are we?"

"The apartment," said Joker as he opened the door and she sat up, careful not to press on any pressure points, then sat back against the seat.

Joker got out of the cab and offered her his hand, "Here, Ellie."

Elissa took his hand and with his help she was able to get out of the cab, without falling on her face, and she stood there while he paid Marshall.

"Here," said Joker, handing him a small bundle of credits, "buy that baby girl of yours something nice, on me."

"Thanks, sir," said Marshall, gratitude radiating from his smile.

"Call me Joker," said Joker as he watched Marshall put the money in the glove compartment.

"See you around, Joker," said Marshall as he prepared to leave.

"Hey, if you do have a little girl, name her Jacqueline," said Joker, patting the gentleman on the shoulder.

"I like that name," said Marshall nodding, "I think we will, thanks again, Joker."

Marshall drove off and Joker went back to Elissa who was still patiently standing by the door to the apartment, when he turned around he saw that she had a funny look on her face.

"What?" chuckled Joker as he pulled a key out of his pocket.

"Why are you on a first name basis with our cab driver?" asked Elissa as Joker unlocked the door.

"While you were sleeping, I was networking," said Joker as the door swung open.

"What did you tell him?" asked Elissa as she walked in, she stood in the hallway, waiting for Joker to close the door.

"I told him that if he had another daughter, to name her Jacqueline," said Joker as he closed and locked the door, double checking just to be sure.

"Why Jacqueline?" asked Elissa as they walked into the living room, "Why not Elissa?"

"Because that's your name, and only you should have that name," said Joker as he walked to the kitchen, leaving Elissa standing there stunned and flattered, that was the sweetest thing she had ever been told.


	8. You're My Best Friend

Elissa made her way to the kitchen where she saw Joker pulling out a large bowl, spoons, and a gallon of vanilla ice cream, when she got closer she heard him humming to himself as he deftly tossed the ice cream scoop and caught it behind his back.

"Very impressive," said Elissa as she sat at the bar.

"Thank you, thank you," said Joker, bowing in a very showy manner before going back to the ice cream.

"What are you making?" asked Elissa as he piled scoop after scoop into the bowl.

"The galaxy's largest ice cream sundae," said Joker as he reached for the chopped peanuts from the cabinet above him, "Cherries and whipped cream okay?"

"On the sundae, right?" teased Elissa, and she could see the color rush to his face, making her laugh.

"Yeah, on the sundae, yep," said Joker chuckling nervously, trying to focus on the sundae but his mind was wandering to other rooms and other uses for the dessert toppings.

Elissa came up behind him and swiped a dollop of whipped cream with her finger and placed it on the end of Joker's nose, what was left she licked off of her finger, watching his face produce a look of fake annoyance and amusement while she giggled.

"You think you're so funny, huh?" asked Joker, picking up the can of whipped cream and shaking it a bit.

"I like to think so," said Elissa smirking at him.

"What do you think of this?" asked Joker and he sprayed her with the whipped cream, she stood there stunned while he loudly laughed. The whipped cream was all over her and that section of the kitchen, she looked horrified and surprised, he was standing there satisfied and amused as a glop of whipped cream fell from her hair and onto the floor.

"I hate you," muttered Elissa as she reached for a cloth to wipe the whipped cream from her face, she had to admit though, he had gotten her good.

"No you don't," said Joker, returning to the sundae, putting a handful of sprinkles on top and then a few cherries.

"You're right," said Elissa as she wiped her face and then her hands, "I'm going to jump in the shower, get this crap off of me, bring that monster of a sugar rush up to my room in about five minutes."

"Aye, aye, Commander," said Joker as he poured chocolate syrup around the mountain of whipped cream and sprinkles he had created.

* * *

Elissa smiled as she climbed the stairs to the second floor, careful not to drip more whipped cream on the floor, looking back she saw Joker still focused on the sundae and she felt her smile get even bigger as she watched him. Then she felt some whipped cream sliding down her forehead and decided that it was really time to get in the shower, so she rushed upstairs and quickly took off her dress. She stepped into the shower and audibly sighed when the hot water started to pour over her head and down her body, the whipped cream mingling with the water as it went down the drain. She reached over and grabbed her bottle of shampoo, poured some in her hand, then lathered it into her hair feeling relief as she washed her hair, then she grabbed her soap and covered herself in the suds. When she was satisfied that there was no longer any whipped cream in her hair or on her body, she turned off the water and pulled on the fluffy robe that was hanging next to the shower door.

* * *

Joker was already waiting in her room, the sundae complete and sitting on the bedside table so it would not fall on to the bed, he had settled himself on the bed his hat over his eyes as he listened to Elissa getting out of the shower. Under his hat he smiled as he thought about her covered in whipped cream and the look on her face when he had stopped spraying her, and then about holding her in his arms as they danced across the room at the restaurant, this night had been the most fun they had had together since that night they had stayed up playing gin. He looked up when he heard the bathroom door slide open and he just stared at her with wide eyes, she was wearing a robe that only went mid-thigh and her hair was just crazy curly as ringlets fell down her back.

"What are you looking at, Joker?" asked Elissa as she sat down on the bed next to him, reaching for the sundae.

"The amazing architecture," said Joker, trying to sound serious but he knew it was a weak excuse at best. Elissa smiled and took a bite of the sundae, he watched her close her eyes in pleasure when the ice cream hit her tongue and she even moaned slightly behind her closed lips.

"Does this sundae get the Shepard Seal of Approval?" asked Joker as he prepared his bite, she nodded enthusiastically and he laughed, "Guess that answers my question."

"It's been forever since I've had an ice cream sundae," said Elissa after she had swallowed and she was scooping another bite onto her spoon, "How do you always know what I need?"

"I'm psychic," said Joker through a mouthful of ice cream.

"Well whatever you are, Joker, you're still the best," said Elissa as she popped a cherry in her mouth, relishing the taste as it burst between her teeth.

"Ellie," said Joker as he swallowed, "can I ask you something?"

"Sure," said Elissa as she prepared another huge bite, "ask me anything."

"Okay," said Joker, thinking about how best to ask his question, "Is Kaidan really what you want? I mean, yeah, he's a major and a powerful biotic, and I guess he's an attractive guy since women always seem to swarm around him, but is that what would make you happy?"

"Why are you asking me that, Joker?" asked Elissa, raising her eyebrow.

"Answer me then I'll answer you," replied Joker as he took a bite.

"Fair enough," said Elissa, "I don't know anymore, I thought he was what I wanted, he was there for me and supported my decisions. Now, I feel like I don't know him anymore, I mean six months ago he wouldn't have said what he did to James and I thought he would allow me to make my own decisions about the wedding, among other ones."

"Maybe you never really did know him," said Joker and he was quick to continue when he saw the look she was giving him, "Look at it this way, you've known him as Major Kaidan Alenko, second human Spectre and hero of the biotics. You didn't know him when he was just Kaidan Alenko, normal guy and no one special, now you are getting to know that person and that person is completely different from what you've known thus far."

Elissa looked at him and was speechless, his logic made sense, maybe she really did not know the man she was going to marry, "You might have a point there, Joker."

"Now should I answer your question?" asked Joker as he licked a droplet of melted ice cream from his spoon's handle.

"Sure," sighed Elissa, she was thinking about what he had said about Kaidan, wondering if he was really right about his observations.

"I asked because you don't seem happy anymore," said Joker as he lowered his eyes.

"How do you mean?" asked Elissa, surprised.

"When you and Kaidan were together before the end of the war," started Joker, "you seemed to carry yourself with confidence, now you're slouching and seem to doubt yourself more than you ever have."

"Uh, wow, that's surprisingly observant," said Elissa, shaking her head in disbelief.

Joker smirked at her, "I'm full of surprises."

"My turn to ask a question," said Elissa, rolling a cherry in chocolate sauce, "What is there exactly between you and EDI that makes your relationship work?" She put the cherry on her spoon and then popped it in her mouth.

"Lets see," said Joker, thinking about the last few months, "She's smart, she's funny, and she knows a great deal about ships."

"Is that it?" asked Elissa, convinced there had to be more, "That's what keeps you two together? Damn, sounds like a pretty easy relationship."

"Yeah," sighed Joker, looking down at the ice cream, "There are some downfalls, for one we can't really argue or debate since she can just pull up statistics and facts at will so she's always proving me wrong, she only finds jokes that involve death funny, and she's actually more of a ship than a person so it gets kind of weird when you look at the technical aspect of it."

"I thought she was your ideal woman," smirked Elissa, "I mean, you couldn't get over her new platform, you wanted to bake a cake."

"True," said Joker, laughing slightly, "but it's really hard to get close to someone who doesn't have actual emotions, plus she questions everything I do trying to understand, but I know that even with years of research she won't truly comprehend human affection."

"I'm guessing you've dated non-robotic women before, so you can make a sufficient comparison?" asked Elissa, as she downed another bite of the sundae.

"Yeah, but those never ended well," said Joker gloomily, as he poked at a scoop of ice cream, "Most of them tried to be accommodating to my disease, you know, they didn't squeeze me or hold anything too tight. Eventually they'd get tired of doing that and would say the bull shit line of 'This is too much for me' and they were gone."

"Would I be crossing a line if I asked about your sex life?" asked Elissa and she watched Joker's cheeks go bright red.

"I've been with a couple of girls," said Joker avoiding eye contact with her, "It was kinda like, 'Wham, bam, thank you, Joker' but without the 'wham' or the 'bam'. That used to really piss me off, when the woman I was with babied me even during sex, now I just don't give a fuck anymore."

"Really?" asked Elissa skeptically as she slurped some of the melted ice cream.

"Well, I mean, I do care about sex, just not about if I break during it or not," said Joker, not really sure if that was what he meant or not, but he was just trying to get off this subject fast.

"Uh huh, sure," said Elissa nudging him with her elbow, "Do you and EDI ever. . . ?"

"No," sighed Joker, this was a common question he got, mostly from the guys on the ship, and he always answered the same way every time.

"I thought Mordin gave you those files," said Elissa giving him a smug look.

"Yeah, and EDI didn't respond," said Joker, blushing more, "we tried and it failed."

"So you went back to your extranet searches," said Elissa giggling at the mortified look she had managed to create on his face.

"Pretty much," said Joker and he looked at her, in the soft light she seemed to glow, every feature enhanced by the lack of light.

"Do you miss being with a human girl?" asked Elissa, casting her eyes away from him.

"There are aspects I miss," admitted Joker, trying not to give too much of the truth away.

"Such as?" asked Elissa, now very curious.

"The organic beauty," started Joker, glancing at her as he spoke, "the softness of skin, the warmth of a body, hearing a heart beat, being touched and feeling calluses."

"Like these?" asked Elissa and for emphasis she brushed her hand across his arm and saw goosebumps form from where she had touched.

"Exactly like those," whispered Joker, trying not to move, enjoying the touch too much.

Elissa could feel her hand trembling as she touched his skin and when she reached his hand she did not remove her's but instead she slid it into his and he squeezed. Gingerly she squeezed back, then she moved the bowl to the table and moved in closer to him, wondering the entire time what she was doing but not stopping any progression. She was right next to him, hardly any space was separating them now, they were so close she could see the flecks of green in his grey eyes and even see his chest rising and falling with each breath he took.

* * *

"Elissa," whispered Joker in a slightly husky voice and with his free hand he caressed her cheek, relishing the feel of her flesh, surprised at how soft she actually was. His body seemed to take over his mind, he could feel himself leaning in closer to her, his hand guiding her face to his, his eyes closing slightly. Then he felt her lips brushing against his, painfully teasing him with how soft they were and he could not bear it any longer and he pressed his lips gently against hers in a tentative kiss that lit his entire body on fire. He felt her kiss him back, the kiss now becoming much more passionate, his hand dropping to her neck pressing her closer as her arm wrapped around his neck and then he twisted his fingers in her hair. He had by now let go of her other hand and slid it around her waist and he could feel them falling towards the inviting bed and when they landed, she was on her back and he was above her, he quickly moved his hands so he could support himself. Opening his mouth just slightly, he felt her tongue slide in and his started to dance with hers, she tasted like cherries and it was driving him crazy! He could feel her hands roaming over his chest and down his arms while his traveled up her lean legs, stopping at the hem of the robe though he desperately wanted to touch more.

* * *

She felt as if her entire being had just been ignited when his lips touched hers and she surprised herself by kissing him back with more passion that she thought she had in her, the way he felt against her as they kissed was so natural. She could feel them sliding down towards the bed, he was on top of her and she could feel his hands leave her body as he placed them beside her shoulders. This kiss was wonderful, she wanted more to experience more of this amazing show of affection and she slid her tongue in when he took a quick breath of air and that made the kiss even better! Feeling his tongue against hers sent chills down her spine, this type of affection had been what she wanted, was craving in a lover and he was giving it to her without hesitation. She brought her hands up, gently moving them over his chest she could feel how muscular he really was underneath his clothes, making their way down his arms even then she could feel the power they possessed. He was touching her legs, caressing them as his hand climbed higher until it stopped at the hem of the robe, _'Damn this robe!'_ thought Elissa as she pulled Joker in closer, then an image popped in her head of her fiance and of EDI.

As if reading her mind, Joker instantly broke the seal and sat up on his knees, looking down at her in shock when he realized what they had been doing.

"Oh my God," said Elissa, sitting up, horrified.

"Oh shit," said Joker, burying his face in his hands, mortified and frustrated.

"Oh my GOD!" exclaimed Elissa, trying not scream out in frustration and anger.

"Oh SHIT!" said Joker and with his face still behind his hands he fell sideways onto the bed, this was not what he had planned on doing tonight, but damn it felt good, and he felt horrible for thinking it.

"What are we going—" started Elissa.

"I don't know," finished Joker, as he dropped his hands and looked at her, she was sitting on the edge of the bed, as far away from him as she could get. He wanted to reach and pull her over, stroke her hair and kiss her lips again, however the look on her face is what killed the urge.

"Joker, I'm so sorry, I—" started Elissa again, but he held up his hand to silence her.

"What are you sorry for?" asked Joker, "I'm the one who should be on my knees asking for your forgiveness."

"But what about EDI?" asked Elissa, climbing up the bed and sitting next to him.

"I don't know, but what I do know is that Kaidan is going to incinerate my ass when he finds out," said Joker, adjusting his hat.

"Why would I tell him?" asked Elissa, "It was just a kiss." Though as she said that she was thinking, _'The most amazing kiss in my life.'_

"You're right, it was just a kiss," said Joker, trying to convince himself that it was just a simple kiss though the throbbing against his zipper was clearly telling him different.

"Joker, maybe you should go to the guest room," said Elissa, slowly easing off the bed, "or I could and you sleep here."

"Ellie, this is your house, your bed, your rules," said Joker standing, his legs shaking slightly and he winced as he stood straight.

Elissa saw him wince and knew he needed to stay there, "Stay here, that's an order, I'll go to the guest room."

"Nope," said Joker, starting to walk to the door, "I'll be there if you need anything, Ellie, sleep well. By the way, what time is our appointment with the shrink?"

"Mmm in about five hours," said Elissa, yawning, "I'll wake you up in three, sleep well for what it's worth."

"I expect a huge industrial sized mug of coffee when I wake up," said Joker shaking his head as he went across the hall to the spare room.

Elissa flopped on the bed, wishing she had made him stay and sleep beside her, but she knew that was beyond inappropriate even after what just happened.

"Why did he have to be a better kisser than Kaidan," grumbled Elissa as she slipped under the covers, she set the alarm for six a.m then rolled over, desperately wishing she could go back in time and relieve the kiss over again.

* * *

When Joker got to the guest room, he sat on the bed and furiously flung his cap against the wall in front of him, "How could I have been so stupid?" muttered Joker, rubbing his eyes mostly out of frustration and partially due to exhaustion. He looked up at the ceiling and sighed although he knew that his ass was Kaidan's when he found out, he could not help but think about how incredible kissing her was, even now his heart soared at just the thought of her lips on his and the feeling of her skin underneath his hand. He smiled to himself as he pulled off his shirt and pants, then he climbed into bed, laying there he absentmindedly played with his dog tags, unknown to everyone except Liara he had one of Elissa's tags too.

When Elissa died, he had made a desperate plea to Liara to find anything that was hers from the crash, he told her that he needed something that was hers to get over the grief and guilt. Benevolent as always, Liara promised to find him something, and she came through with her promise several months later when she handed him one of the three dog tags that had Elissa's name on it, the other two she eventually gave to Elissa. He had the information on that dog tag memorized in less than an hour and he recited it to himself occasionally while he sat there next to Elissa when Cerberus was working on her. He wanted to make sure she knew the basics when she woke up so at least she would regain something of herself, he knew it was probably the craziest thought he had ever had in his life, but it was something to cling to while he waited.

Looking at the tag now he felt that all too familiar pang of guilt that often hit him whenever he thought about her death, no matter how much time passed the pain still felt raw and new, Joker knew deep down that he would always feel the guilt but it would lessen. He fell asleep with his hand still holding the dog tags, content with the thought of someday getting over the guilt he still had about killing the woman he loved. No number of broken bones or surgeries would ever create the same amount of pain he had felt when he watched her get spaced, as he saw the oxygen escaping her suit, when she stopped moving.

* * *

Elissa woke when the alarm went off, the sky was still dark from what she could tell as she sat up on the edge of her bed trying to shake the feeling of sleep, she glanced at the empty side of the bed and remembered how not too long ago Kaidan had occupied that space. Now she found herself wishing that Joker was there instead, she mentally scolded herself for even thinking of him being in bed with her, she was with Kaidan and he had EDI and she could not change that overnight. Standing, she walked over to the dresser, pulled out some of the civilian clothes she had kept there and changed quickly before activating Glyph.

"Good morning, Commander Shepard," said the little orb as it floated into her room, "How can I assist you?"

"Hello, Glyph," said Elissa, stretching, "I need you to make a very strong pot of coffee, it should still have grounds from the last time I filled it up, and then call a cab to take myself and Joker to Citadel Tower."

"Of course, Commander Shepard," said Glyph and he left.

Elissa retreated quickly to the washroom, she brushed her teeth, washed her face, and did her best to pull her hair into a tight bun so she would not look too unprofessional. After she deemed herself acceptable, she pulled on the hoodie she found in the closet and walked to the guest room to wake up Joker, praying that he was not naked. She looked in and saw he was topless, sending a wave of heat down from her head to her feet as she stared at him, even from this distance she could see the definition of his muscles in his chest and arms. Quietly she crept further into the room, when she got beside his bed, she reached out and gently shook him, "Jeff, Jeff, come on, wake up."

Joker's eyes popped open, he saw Elissa but was too tired to register that they were not on the _Normandy_, he sat up and started moving his hands as if he were sitting at his chair facing the console, "Checking engine diagnostics, levels appear to be stable, FTL sequence started—"

"Joker!" shouted Elissa and he jumped, "We're not on the _Normandy_, we're at the apartment on the Citadel, and now we have to get ready to go to the Tower."

"Oh," yawned Joker, stretching and easing himself out of bed, "guess I'm way too used to sleeping in my chair to know the difference anymore."

"Guess so," said Elissa smiling, "Glyph's making that industrial sized mug of coffee you wanted, I'll be downstairs in the kitchen waiting for you."

"How are we going to get to the Tower?" asked Joker as he stood up, not aware that Elissa turned four shades of pink in four seconds when she saw him in nothing but his boxers.

Elissa averted her eyes out of respect, "I'm having Glyph call us a cab. I don't think we have to be in our blues to get interviewed by the psychologist, so you can dress as casually as you like."

"This might be it," said Joker, indicating his mostly naked body, "I don't have any clothes other than the ones I was wearing last night."

"I'll see if I can find something for you," said Elissa, blushing again, "feel free to use my shower while I look for some clothes."

"Thanks, Ellie," said Joker walking towards her room, eager to take a much welcome shower.

Elissa glanced at his rear end as he walked passed, impressed with what she saw, then she shook her head to clear away the thoughts that were forming and set out to find something for Joker to wear. She remembered that Steve used this place sometimes for parties on the weekend, so she thought he might have a stash of clothes somewhere in one of the closets, when she opened the closet there was a pile of folded jeans and a selection of dress shirts.

"Guess Steve's been here more than I thought," muttered Elissa as she grabbed a pair of jeans and selected a green shirt for Joker to wear and she went to her bedroom praying she could just sneak the clothes in there without being detected. When she got there, she put the clothes neatly on her bed so Joker would see them, and then headed downstairs to the kitchen to see if Glyph had brewed the coffee yet.

* * *

Joker emerged from the shower feeling much more like a human, he grabbed a towel from the rack and dried himself off, then wrapped the towel around his waist before walking into the bedroom. He saw the clothes Elissa had laid out on the bed and smiled, she always came through for him, and he quickly changed admiring how well the clothes fit him despite them belonging to someone else. After he had changed he walked downstairs, the aroma of coffee hitting him as he made it halfway down, and becoming even more the closer he got to the kitchen where he saw Elissa standing at the counter sipping a cup of coffee and reading a data pad. He looked her up and down as he stood in the doorway, admiring how her blouse hugged every curve just right and how it was tightest around her breasts, how her jeans accentuated her legs and the way her behind looked wrapped snuggly in the fabric. He could feel his own jeans tighten as he stared at her, imagining how she would look falling out of her clothes.

"What are you staring at?" asked Elissa coldly, glancing at him as she looked up from her reading, when she saw he did not move she pointed at the mugs next to the coffee pot, "Feel free to get yourself a cup, I'm not going to stop you."

"You alright, Ellie?" asked Joker as he walked to the coffee pot and poured himself a mug, then he mixed in four packets of sugar took a sip, his face contorted in disgust.

"If you don't like coffee, then why did you tell me to make it?" asked Elissa, she had seen him make the face when he sipped his coffee.

"I like coffee, just not this stuff," said Joker grimacing as he took another gulp, "Why are you being so cold this morning, Ellie?"

* * *

Elissa looked up at him, his face showed genuine concern for her behavior, she knew she could not brush him off as easily as some of the other crew, this had been the truth since they had first flown together he seemed to have a knack for knowing when she was lying about her well being and attitude, "I'm just overwhelmed, first we have the psych evaluation for a trial that shouldn't be happening, then my fiance is being an obvious jackass, and we kissed. . . ." Her voice trailed off as she thought about it, the feeling of euphoria and relief that had washed over her when his lips touched hers.

"Ellie," said Joker, putting down his coffee and walking to her, then he stood next to her at the counter wrapping his arm around her shoulders, "Is this going to make things weird between us? If so, I can do things to distance myself from you, like not hanging out in your apartment without supervision."

Elissa chuckled softly, turning to him she saw in his eyes what she had seen when they were in the observation deck together and it relaxed her enough to make a reasonable decision, "Jeff, we're going to be working together until God knows when so we can't really afford to act differently around each other, and I really enjoy having you around, you're a great friend, so maybe we shouldn't just spend any alone time together."

"At least outside of the cockpit," said Joker, smiling, "I still need to talk with you sometimes, EDI's great and all, but I really like talking with you."

"Same here," said Elissa, her cold attitude melting in the warmth of his smile, "Joker, you're the best, always remember that."

"Come on, Ellie, lets be realistic," said Joker a sly smile on his face, "you're always going to be around to shower your praise down on me."

She bumped him with her hip in jest and he laughed bumping her back, then Glyph came floating into the room, "Commander Shepard, Flight Lieutenant Moreau, your taxi is waiting outside for you."

"Guess we have to go," sighed Joker, standing fully straight.

"Guess so," said Elissa as she stood up, then without really thinking she pulled him into a tight hug though careful not to put too much pressure in any one place, and he hugged her back with surprising strength.

"Lets get this over with," said Elissa, pulling away from him, and they walked out of the apartment and got into the cab ready to face their psych evaluation and the wrath of their partners, neither sounding desirable to either of them but they were ready to accept the outcome of both.


	9. Confrontation

The cab pulled up to the Tower and both Elissa and Joker slumped into the seat more as they got closer and closer, they could see the crowd of their friends waiting for them, no one looked happy from what Elissa could tell.

"Think we can make a run for it?" asked Joker, pulling his cap further down how face.

"Not a chance," sighed Elissa, "Kaidan could use his biotics to pick us up and drag us back, there's no getting out of this."

"Damn," grumbled Joker as the cab came to a halt and the door flung open.

"Where the fuck have you two been?!" shouted Kaidan, he managed to move so Elissa and Joker could exit the cab but soon he was back in both of their faces. "You were supposed to be on the ship! We have been searching the whole Citadel looking for you two!"

"You obviously didn't search the entire Citadel, otherwise you would have found us," muttered Joker, his arms crossed.

"Don't get me started with you, Flight Lieutenant!" snapped Kaidan, turning his full attention on Joker, "What do you think you were doing, sneaking off with my fiancee?"

"Gee, I don't know," said Joker, his tone snarky, "I was thinking she needed a friend by her side since her fiance was off trying to nail a waitress!"

Joker suddenly felt his body moving involuntarily, he was being pushed out of the way of something, luckily for him Jacob was there to catch him before he fell to the ground then he heard shouts and a thud. When he stood back up he turned around and saw to his horror Elissa on the ground, Kaidan's glowing fist hovering in the air, and the rest of the crew looking on with faces of disgust and dismay. The next few seconds seemed to move in slow motion, James tackled Kaidan with Jacob and Garrus helping to hold him down, Tali, Liara, and Hannah rushed to Elissa's still form and Joker could feel himself falling to his knees beside her body. Carefully, he pulled her upper half into his lap and held her, stroking the stray hairs out of her face when he glanced at his fingertips he saw the unmistakable color of blood.

He pressed the palm of his hand against her wound, _'Keep pressure on any open wound, don't let up, not until bandages or stitches can be applied'_ Joker thought, remembering his field training class from his early days during Alliance basic training. Even with just his palm on the wound he could tell it was not a deep cut, though he was worried that she might have a concussion or maybe broken ribs, her breathing was ragged enough for that possibility to be very real. Joker looked down at her, he could see her eyes moving underneath her eyelids so he knew she was still conscious to a point, now all he wanted was for her to open them so he would know for sure she was alright.

"Joker, we have to move her," said Liara, putting her hand on his shoulder, "Jeff, we have to get her to Chakwas, she needs immediate attention."

Joker could hear her voice but could not register the words, he felt almost in a dreamlike state and could not be reached at the moment, he sat there just looking at her, praying that her beautiful green eyes would be looking back up at him anytime now.

"Joker," said Hannah, using his chin to direct his face towards hers, he could see the anger and worry in her crystal blue eyes, "she needs medical help, you need to help her."

Joker nodded, then as carefully as he could he supported her neck and shoulders then placed his other arm underneath her legs and stood, cradling her in his arms as he walked with Liara and Hannah to the cab that had yet to leave. Gently he eased himself and Elissa into the back seat, still holding her, as Liara sat next to him and Hannah sat in the front seat directing the driver to C-Sec Academy. Joker looked out of the window as the cab slowly started to pull away from the curb, James was beating the crap out of Kaidan, Garrus and Jacob were trying to hold him back but failing miserably. Inwardly, Joker was smiling at the sight of the mighty Kaidan Alenko getting his biotic ass handed to him by James, then he looked down at Elissa and even that smile faded.

"Why would you do that?" Joker whispered, his forehead pressed against hers, "That was so stupid Ellie, incredible, but stupid."

"Thanks," croaked Elissa as she opened her eyes, "it's been a while since I've done something stupid."

Joker could feel his heart leap in his chest at the sound of her voice, "How are you feeling?"

"Like I just got headbutted by Wrex," groaned Elissa attempting to sit up but stopped when she felt a sharp pain in her chest, taking her breath away, she resettled herself against Joker who was more than happy to be her chair.

"Broken ribs?" asked Joker, stroking her hair.

"Sure as hell feels like it," said Elissa, her breath hitching as she inhaled. She was tired and desperately wanted to fall asleep, but every time she would close her eyes, she felt a small pinch on her hip which would wake her back up. Eyeing Joker suspiciously, he merely smiled at her before staring forward at the windshield of the cab.

"We'll be at the _Normandy_ in a few minutes," said Hannah from the front seat, "then Karin can take a closer look at you."

"You know Doc?" asked Joker, still stroking Elissa's hair.

"Yes, I was at her wedding, she married a mechanic friend of mine," said Hannah, looking at her daughter, furious that she had been hurt, "Major Alenko had best hope I don't get my hands on him after what he's done."

"What are you thinking of doing to him, if you get the chance?" asked Joker unable to keep the glee out of his voice.

"Removing his L2 implants by hand," muttered Hannah darkly, her eyes shinning with malice, "Migraines are the least of his problems right now."

"Mom, don't," said Elissa wearily, she was messing with the buttons on Joker's shirt, trying to distract herself from the throbbing pain in her skull.

Hannah rolled her eyes and faced forward again just as they were coming to a stop outside of the elevator that would take them to the docking bay. Liara got out of the cab first, Joker followed with Elissa still in his arms being extremely careful not to hit her head or move her abdomen too much in the process. They followed Hannah into the elevator and patiently waited as they ascended to the docking bay, no one speaking, all listening to Elissa's ragged breathing. When the elevator doors opened Joker was the first out, bypassing Hannah and Liara, he wanted Elissa safely on the _Normandy_ with Chakwas before Kaidan arrived and all hell broke loose. Fortunately, Liara had radioed ahead to Chakwas that they were coming and to stand by for their arrival, when the doors of the _Normandy_ opened Chakwas was already standing there waiting with a hover stretcher.

"Joker, place her on the stretcher," directed Chakwas, he could sense she was not in the mood for any lip from him so he obeyed and gingerly placed Elissa on the stretcher. Then she and Liara each took an end of the stretcher and were off to the medbay, leaving Joker and Hannah standing in the CIC.

"And now we wait," sighed Hannah, slumping to the floor, her back against the cool metal wall.

"I hate the waiting," said Joker and he joined her on the floor despite his body's protests.

"Does Chakwas need to take a look at you?" asked Hannah when she saw him wince as he sat down.

"Nah, just a bit sore from that shove," said Joker, rubbing his shoulder, "What exactly did she do? I mean, I know she pushed me but why exactly?" Actually he did know, but he wanted Hannah to talk, she was starting to shut down like Elissa did whenever something went wrong or she lost a friend. Talking was the only way to delay that enough that sometimes she did not shut down completely and he had learned quickly when it would work and when it would not.

"Major Alenko was going to punch you," said Hannah, running her fingers through her hair, "his hand was glowing blue and Elissa saw it before he made contact with you, so she pushed you away, getting hit by him in the process."

"Son of a bitch," grumbled Joker, he really wanted to destroy Kaidan for what he had done and attempted to do, but right now his mind was on Elissa and the fact she had saved his ass for once instead of it being the other way around. He could feel the ever present knot of guilt in his stomach tighten, _'Another thing to add to the list,' _thought Joker, not only had he been responsible for her death, now he was the reason her fiance had nearly broken her skull on the pavement.

"Do you think she's safe with him?" asked Hannah quietly.

Joker looked at Hannah, she and Elissa both possessed the uncanny ability to present themselves to everyone around them as fearless warriors when faced with unparalleled danger, he had seen them both show that look. Right now though she was not Admiral Shepard, she was Hannah Shepard a concerned mother, and Joker could see the love she held for her daughter and the fear that the same daughter she loved was going to be harmed by someone she thought she could trust.

"The better question is, is he safe with her?" said Joker, trying to lighten the mood, Hannah smiled giving a halfhearted laugh in the process.

"You have a point," said Hannah, giving him a small smile, "In all seriousness though, what do you think, can she be safe with him around?"

"I think so," said Joker, trying to sound convincing, not only for her sake but for his as well, "Ellie's always been able to handle him, although, I for one don't want to be left alone with him from now on."

"I'll make sure to slide a pistol into the cockpit for you," said Hannah grinning, eliciting a smile from him in return.

"Think he'll be dumb enough to try anything when he gets back?" asked Joker, mildly concerned for his own safety.

"I don't think so," said Hannah patting his arm in reassurance, "if he does though, there's a ship full of people eager to take his ass out, like James was doing earlier."

"Talk about wounded pride," laughed Joker, "One of the most powerful biotics on Earth getting the crab beat out of him by an ordinary soldier."

"Vega's N7, I don't think he's ordinary," reminded Hannah.

"You know what I mean," scoffed Joker, moving his hand in a brushing motion, "he doesn't have any biotics nor is he an alien so he's just a regular guy that happens to be the size of two full grown adult males."

"Point taken," laughed Hannah and Joker joined in with her, it felt good to laugh after what had happened. Joker heard footsteps walking up on them and when he turned his mouth fell open in surprise.

"Kasumi!" shouted Joker, standing up, Hannah helping him stand and then he hugged Kasumi, glad to see another familiar face.

"Hey, Joker," said Kasumi, releasing him and smiling, "How's Shep doing?"

"Right to the point as always," sighed Joker, shaking his head, smiling, "She's not doing great, to be honest, right now she's in the medbay. She saved my ass and is reaping the rewards."

Kasumi clapped her hand over her mouth to stifle a gasp, "What happened?"

"My charming son-in-law-to-be decided to use his biotics to try and beat the crap out of Joker," said Hannah, also standing, "Elissa saw it coming and pushed him out of the way, taking the punch that was meant for him. I'm her mother by the way, Hannah Shepard, nice to meet you, Kasumi." She extended her hand to Kasumi who shook it eagerly.

"That's Shep for you," said Kasumi, "Is she going to be alright?"

"She's going to be perfectly fine," said Chakwas, coming up behind the trio.

Joker could feel relief wash over him, he was glad Elissa would be alright, he saw the same feeling in the faces of Hannah and Kasumi.

"How bad was the damage?" asked Hannah.

"She had a cut on her head," started Chakwas, looking at the data pad in her hand, "and three broken ribs, though nothing was punctured, she's very lucky that was all."

"Everything was treatable then?" asked Kasumi, and Chakwas nodded.

"Yes," said Chakwas, "we put medi-gel on her cut, also on her bruises, and I've given her a couple of pain killers for her broken ribs."

"Can we see her?" asked Hannah looking hopeful.

"Of course," said Chakwas, smiling and Hannah dashed off to the medbay with Kasumi hot on her tail, Joker was about to do the same when Chakwas put her hand on his chest.

"I heard what happened," said Chakwas quietly, and she hugged him carefully, "I'm glad you're alright."

"Thanks," said Joker dejected, "I wish she hadn't gotten hurt though."

"Jeff," said Chakwas, smiling, "you're her dearest friend, she wouldn't let anything happen to you, haven't you figured that out yet?"

"Guess not," chuckled Jeff, glancing over her shoulder at the path to the medbay. The look did not get lost on Chakwas, who merely rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Yes, you can go see her," said Chakwas, feigning exasperation as he rushed passed her as fast as he could.

* * *

Elissa was sitting up in bed, her head no longer throbbing, the pain more of a dull ache as she sat there looking around bored. She was under strict orders from Chakwas to not get out of bed for at least another hour or face sedation, which only increased her impatience as she watched the minutes tick by like hours. She heard the medbay doors glide open, apprehension gripping her, when she looked over she was relieved to see her mother standing there though she thought it was strange her mother had two shadows. Then there was a shimmering wave in the corner as Kasumi emerged from her hiding spot, brightly grinning.

"Hey, Shep," said Kasumi as she sat on the bed next to her best friend.

"Kasumi!" exclaimed Elissa, pulling her into a tight hug, "I thought you were playing Robin Hood on Thessia, what are you doing here?"

"I got a message from Liara," said Kasumi, motioning towards their friend who was leaving, "she said you needed friends around you right now, so I hopped on the fastest moving boat here, I arrived last night."

"I'm sorry I missed your arrival," sighed Elissa, leaning back against the pillows, "Last night pretty much sucked."

"I know, I saw," said Kasumi, a wicked smile on her face, "I was there at the restaurant."

"Were not," scoffed Elissa her tone disbelieving.

"Was so," protested Kasumi, "I got a vid of you and Joker ballroom dancing." She pulled out her vid recorder, searching for the most recent of her many recordings.

"Have you uploaded it to the extranet yet?" asked Elissa as Kasumi handed her the recorder with the vid loaded.

"Not yet, maybe after the trial," said Kasumi also resting herself against the pillows on the bed, "A scandal might not look good on either of you."

"Scandal?" asked Elissa as she watched herself and Joker dancing, she could feel a smile forming across her face, looking at the scene from a bystander's perspective she had an idea of why this might cause a scandal.

Kasumi looked at her and smirked, her friend and former commander was not all that transparent but there were times when someone could see the true Elissa Shepard, and watching her watch the vid was one of those times, "Want a copy?"

"Oh, hell yes," said Elissa handing the recorder back to Kasumi who slipped it away somewhere in her outfit.

"How are you feeling, Jackie?" asked Hannah as she sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes showing a great deal of worry for her daughter.

"I'm feeling fine, Mom," said Elissa, reaching to put a hand on her mother's, "Chakwas really knows how to patch me up, she's been doing it long enough."

"That's an understatement," said Joker as he entered the medbay, he was greeted with the largest smile he had ever seen from Elissa, that eased the knot in his stomach enough for him to approach the bed.

"Kasumi," said Hannah, standing up from the bed, "Why don't we go and have something to drink? I think I saw Rupert making a pot of tea."

"Rupert's still here?" asked Kasumi as she removed herself from Elissa's side.

Joker knew what they were doing, he was not sure whether to be annoyed or amused that they were giving him some privacy with Elissa, he decided to protest a little, "You don't have to go, I was just stopping by."

"It's alright, Joker," said Kasumi, grinning at him, "I want to get to know Hannah better anyhow, she seems to be as fascinating as Shep."

"Kiss ass," muttered Joker and Kasumi playfully bumped his shoulder with her's as she passed by him.

"Should I bring you back anything?" asked Hannah, her eyes shining with mischief.

"No, Hannah," said Joker, giving her a slightly wicked grin back, he definitely knew she was up to something just by the way her eyes gleamed in the light.

"Alright," said Hannah leaving the medbay with Kasumi. Joker shook his head grinning as he watched them leave, then he made sat down on the edge of the bed, his hands clasped in front of him as he thought about what to say.

"Ellie," said Joker, trying to keep his thoughts straight while his hands trembled like mad, "I'm so sorry, this wasn't supposed to happen, I didn't want you to get hurt—"

Elissa placed her fingertip on his lips to silence him, then she smiled beckoning him to sit directly next to her on the bed, he smiled back at her and gingerly he repositioned himself so he was sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with her.

"Joker," said Elissa, looking at him full in the face, "I chose to come between you and Kaidan, and I don't regret that in the slightest. Did you honestly think I was going to stand by and watch him beat the crap out of you?"

"No," sighed Joker, casting his eyes down, "but I didn't want you to get caught in the crossfire either."

"It's what I do best," said Elissa, shrugging her shoulders, leaning against him.

"It certainly is," agreed Joker, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and resting against the pillows, he could feel his eyelids getting heavier the coffee certainly had not helped him wake up.

"Jeff," said Elissa, he could hear in her voice that she was also tired, "thank you for always being there for me."

"Anytime, Ellie," yawned Joker as he eagerly welcomed sleep.

* * *

"Where are they!?" yelled Kaidan as he entered the _Normandy_ sometime later, his shouts made Joker jump and he could feel Elissa stirring beside him, he could hear Kaidan's footsteps getting closer, his heart was pounding harder with each footfall.

"They're resting!" shouted Chakwas, the anger obvious as she spoke, "I'm not going to allow you to go in there and disturb them."

"Like hell you won't!" roared Kaidan, Joker could feel Elissa tense next to him and he tightened his grip around her shoulders as the medbay doors opened to reveal a very pissed off Major Alenko.

"You, out," commanded Kaidan, pointing at Joker, his anger making it nearly impossible for him to speak. Joker hesitated, he knew if he did not leave he would get a fist to the head plus more, but he did not want to leave Elissa alone not trusting Kaidan's motives.

"Did I stutter, Flight Lieutenant?" asked Kaidan, his face contorting with rage. Joker desperately wanted to mouth off, tell him that he was way out of line, and to get the fuck out of here and off the ship.

"Joker," said Elissa seeming to sense what he was wanting to say, her commander persona falling perfectly back into place, "I'll be fine, you should go run some diagnostics on the _Normandy_."

He wanted to protest, demand that she should not be left alone, but the look of sheer determination on her face told him that she would be able to handle this situation herself so he eased himself off of the bed. Joker took his time leaving the medbay, when he reached Kaidan he smiled at him just to be a jerk, and could almost feel the rage radiating from the Major as he walked out then the doors shut.

"Ella, what the hell were you thinking?!" shouted Kaidan, trying to keep his anger in check, "Throwing yourself between me and him was just plain stupid?"

"You know," said Elissa calmly, "Joker said the exact same thing, he told me it was incredible but still stupid."

"Why did you do it though?!" asked Kaidan angrily, covering his face with his hands in an attempt to calm himself down as he waited for Elissa's reply.

"I wasn't going to idly stand by and watch you try to kill him," said Elissa her tone sharp and voice raised.

"I wasn't going to kill him," said Kaidan in a defensive tone, "just rough him up a bit."

"Kaidan, your biotics were activated," said Elissa, staring right at him, calling him on his bull shit answer, "You wanted to kill him, you knew that one good hit with the power of your biotics would shatter every bone in his chest, so don't stand there and lie to me."

"Fine, I won't," said Kaidan, "Yeah, I might have wanted to kill him, but what guy wouldn't want to kill his best friend after he slept with his fiancee?"

Elissa was taken aback by his response, "What?"

"I know you slept with him," said Kaidan pointing his finger at her face, "Yep, I know you did, you thought you would get back at me for talking with that waitress. I can't believe you would be such a bitch and do that to me!"

Elissa was furious now, not only had he called her a bitch but he was unjustly accusing her of infidelity, "Listen here, Kaidan, I did not sleep with Joker! Nor would I ever cheat on you as a way to get back at you for talking with some bimbo! How dare you accuse me!"

"You know what," said Kaidan furrowing his brow, closing his eyes, "I think I'm going to leave, let you calm down, then we can talk like rational adults."

"You son of a bitch!" shouted Elissa, "You come in here, accuse me of cheating on you, call me a bitch and now you're saying _I_ am not being rational?!"

Kaidan did not say a word but turned and stormed out of the medbay, leaving Elissa fuming as she rested her head against her pillows, her headache now returning with a vengeance, her breathing becoming shallow.

* * *

Joker saw that a small group had formed a few feet from the windows that looked into the medbay, so he joined them hoping he would be able to see Elissa from that distance, incase it all went to hell.

"How's she doing?" asked Garrus who was leaning against a wall with his arms crossed, watching Kaidan yelling at Elissa who was taking it without so much as flinching as he got closer to her face.

"Apparently fine," said Joker, joining him against the wall, glancing at the others he saw James with a couple of cuts along his cheeks, Jacob was favoring his left leg, and Tali was repairing a small tear in her armor.

Garrus saw where Joker was looking, "It was harder to keep the Major down than we first thought, we're lucky some C-Sec officers came over, the idea of his little tantrum getting out made him calm down enough to be reasonable."

"Any word from the shrink Shepard and I were supposed to talk with?" asked Joker, flinching slightly at some of the words he heard Kaidan yelling at Elissa.

"Tali went and spoke with him," said Garrus, his mandibles flexing defensively as the word 'bitch' worked its way into Kaidan's rant, "he's coming by here later, you'll both be interviewed separately but under guard, from the outside of course."

"I get my own personal guard?" asked Joker, amused at the idea that he was important enough to have a bodyguard.

"Don't let that you head get bigger than it already is," said Garrus, as if reading his mind, "I'm going to be standing guard, possibly with Vega, but it's just a precaution to make sure no one is feeding you what to say or recording the conversation."

"Then you might want to have a talk with Kasumi," said Joker laughing at the Turian's face in reaction to the new information.

"Kasumi's back?" asked Garrus, behind him Joker could see Jacob shaking his head chuckling to himself and James looked almost pleased.

"Yeah," said Joker, smiling, "she's having tea with Hannah. Speaking of women, where's EDI? I haven't seen her since I got back on the ship."

"She was doing something down in engineering with Traynor," said Jacob, "Don't worry, she's not trying to make a move on your girl."

Everyone laughed including Joker but his heart was not in it, usually he would have found that comment to be very funny or he would have feigned jealousy, but there was something in the way that Jacob said 'your girl' about EDI that did not sit right with him. He wished that Elissa was whom they were talking about, the she was his girl but after what happened today knowing that he had been the reason she had gotten hurt, he wanted her as far away from him as possible.

"Major on deck," muttered Garrus and they watched Kaidan storm out of the medbay, his face still showing signs of rage, he glanced over at the four crew members standing across from him and glared at all of them, they did the same to him as well. They watched as he walked away, heard his footsteps in the CIC before the large bay doors to the _Normandy_ opened and they knew he was off the ship.

"You should go to her," said Garrus, indicating Elissa who looked like she had just been hit in the stomach, Joker nodded and walked away from the group hoping that Elissa would not be too upset to talk with him.

When he entered, he was immediately swept up in a hug from Elissa who had bounded from the bed to meet him, he was extra careful where he put his arms since he did not want to disturb her ribs, though underneath his hands he could feel her entire body shaking. Concerned, he released his hold on her enough to look in her eyes, there were tears shimmering in the green pools but he could tell she refused to let them fall.

"He accused me of cheating on him," said Elissa swallowing a sob as she spoke and Joker lead her back to bed, "with you." She said the last part so quietly it was almost a whisper.

"Why would he even think you did?" asked Joker, dumbfounded that Kaidan had jumped to that conclusion, and that reason was why he was so livid earlier that morning.

"I don't know," said Elissa, fighting back tears, her chest hurting, "He said we'd talk later when I was more rational."

"You need to be more rational? Wasn't he the lumbering moron who shouted at everyone and everything that got in his way?" asked Joker, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Yeah, no kidding," sighed Elissa, resting her head on his shoulder, "By the way, have you heard from the psychologist?"

"Tali spoke to him," said Joker, wrapping his arm around her still trembling frame, "she was told he'd be coming by later to speak with us here."

"Good," said Elissa sounding content, "the sooner we get this trial over with the sooner I can deal with my thickheaded fiance."

Joker looked down at her, she looked so beautiful laying against him, the way her eyes shined in the light when she glanced up at him and smiled captivated him, he wanted to kiss her again so badly even if there were people standing outside watching them. Carefully he leaned in closer to her, his eyes starting to close, lips parted slightly and he could feel her warm breath on his lips.

"Commander," said EDI over the intercom, "there is a Doctor Ingleside requesting entry."

"Access granted," said Elissa as she and Joker pulled away from each other, "guess I had better make myself look like a commander and not an invalid."

"Should I greet our guest?" asked Joker, shoving his hands in his pockets, trying not to show his frustration, "You know how I love to perform parlor tricks."

"If you really want to," said Elissa smiling as she reached for her hoodie, "tell him I'll be there in about ten minutes."

"I will," said Joker as he let himself out of the medbay, smiling back at her, then the doors closed.

She could still feel her heart pounding in her chest, she had been so close to feeling that euphoria again that would only come from kissing Joker, now she had to compose herself and go on as if nothing happened. That would be difficult when all she could think about was his soft lips traveling up and down her body, kissing other parts of her body. She sighed audibly, this was getting more and more intense the longer they spent time together, not that she minded.


	10. Too Little Too Late

Joker sat in the mess hall, Rupert had given him a bowl of chili to eat while he waited for Elissa and Dr. Ingleside to finish up though he had no appetite to eat even a bite, they had been in the medbay for almost two hours now.

"You alright there, Joker?" asked Rupert as he stirred the chili.

"I don't know," sighed Joker, pushing the bowl away from him, "Is it ever a good sign when something important takes a long time?"

"Depends on the something important, I suppose," said Rupert, putting down his spoon and joining Joker at the table, "A job interview taking a long time is generally a good sign, while waiting for a baby to be born and it taking several days usually is a bad one. Where would you rate this situation?"

"Long childbirth," said Joker, noticing that his hands were trembling slightly, "God, I wish this was over with."

"Why are you so nervous for her evaluation anyway?" asked Rupert, taking some bites from the chili Joker had left untouched.

"I guess I'm just nervous because the outcome of the trial is dependent on this evaluation," said Joker rubbing his eyes.

"She's fine," said Rupert, clapping him on the shoulder, "after years of these types of evaluations, I would expect she knows what to say and what not to."

"You do have a point there, Cookie," said Joker and Rupert groaned at the nickname, Joker had given him that name after reading a story about a crew of adventurers with a cook named Cookie.

"Jeff," said EDI, her tone was off, almost anxious which startled him a great deal, "I think we need to talk, at least, social interactions indicate that I must speak with you about something when it is important."

"Alright, EDI," said Joker, standing up shakily, "Where would you like to talk?"

"The bridge," said EDI, glancing around. Joker was more than a bit surprised with EDI's odd behavior, ordinarily she was rather calm, but right now she sounded almost panicked or worried.

"Quickly, Jeff," said EDI and she started walking towards the bridge.

_'What the hell is going on?'_ wondered Joker as he followed EDI to the bridge.

* * *

Elissa rested her head on the pillows behind her, her head was starting to hurt again and she felt tired, she hoped that Dr. Ingleside would finish up the evaluation before she passed out on him. They had just finished up with the questions about her missions, her thinking behind the decisions she made during them, and her feelings towards former crew members such as Miranda and Jacob. She glanced over at the Salarian who was busily writing down a few sentences, although he had been sent there by the Alliance and the Council, he was rather kind and very humorous cracking a few jokes before he had started asking her questions. Then he had told her that she was allowed to ask him questions, he said he wanted this to be a relaxing experience and not a rigid interview. He had found that starting off an evaluation with some jokes and allowing questions from the patient made for a better understanding of the person and therefore a better interview.

"Good news, Shepard," said Dr. Ingleside as he typed a few notes, not looking up, "your evaluation has concluded, do you have any further questions?"

Elissa looked at him thought about whether she did have any questions, and she knew of one, "Doctor, I do have one question for you."

"Yes, Shepard?" asked Dr. Ingleside, looking up from his notes.

"Did you ever know a Salarian scientist named Mordin?" asked Elissa, controlling her welling tears by breathing slowly and deeply, like Thane had taught her.

Dr. Ingleside looked at her and mournfully smiled, "I did know him, we performed together, and I was the one who interviewed him after he came back from creating the genophage."

"Has a memorial service been held for him yet?" asked Elissa, finding it harder and harder to keep herself from tears.

"His nephew was going to do something," said Dr. Ingleside, "but Salarians don't usually mourn the dead the same way humans do."

"If there was a service," said Elissa, chocking down a sob, "Would you come?"

"I would consider it a great honor," said Dr. Ingleside, bowing his head slightly, "Now I must speak to your pilot, do you have any idea where he is?"

"He might be either in the mess or at his seat in the cockpit," said Elissa, closing her eyes against the pain that was building in her head.

"Thank you again, Commander Shepard," said Dr. Ingleside as he collected his things and left the medbay. Elissa sighed, she felt that her evaluation had gone really well, she had not said anything that could have been used against her such as the nightmares she had or the fact that sometimes she would catch a glimpse of someone she knew was dead like Ashley or Thane. She could only pray that Joker would be able to get through the interview without offending Dr. Ingleside too much.

* * *

"EDI, are you going to tell me what the hell this is all about?" asked Joker in a slightly sharper tone with his arms crossed as he leaned against his chair's back. They had been standing in the cockpit for two minutes while EDI tried to come up with a way to talk to him, starting and stopping herself several times.

"Yes, Jeff," said EDI almost nervously, "I wanted to confess that I might be responsible for why Major Alenko accused the Commander of having sexual intercourse with you."

"Wait, what?!" exclaimed Joker dropping his arms and standing straight. "Explain yourself, EDI, and fast."

"Yesterday, I saw you make a gesture at the Commander, a sort of brushing motion," said EDI, showing the motion with her hand, "and I wanted to ask someone, because I knew if I asked you, you would tell me never mind. So I found the Major and I asked him what it was and what it meant."

"Okay, so how does stroking hairs away from her face translate to 'I'm fucking your girlfriend?'" asked Joker, thinking that EDI was overreacting.

"It might have been how I asked him and showed him," said EDI, lowering her eyes, "I did like I saw you, put my two fingers together and made the sort of swiping motion you did but I think he thought it was a different gesture." She demonstrated what she had done versus what Joker had done to begin with.

Joker's eyes went wide, he knew exactly what motion Kaidan thought he had done to Elissa, but he had to be sure, "Did you do that motion against his face?"

"No," said EDI, "the Major had made it very clear in the past that he does not want this platform to touch him again, given his history with it."

Joker covered his face with his hands, trying to calm himself down before removing them to speak, "EDI, what have I told you about asking others about organic gestures?"

"To only ask you or the Commander," replied EDI.

"Why didn't you ask either Shepard or myself?" asked Joker through gritted teeth.

"As I stated before," said EDI, "I thought you would tell me never mind, and I thought that the Commander would be unwilling to talk about it as she has seemed reluctant to do so in the past."

"EDI, do you realize what you've done!?" exclaimed Joker though he knew she had already connected the dots, she had figured this out long before he had.

"Yes, Jeff, I do," said EDI sternly, "I have already stated that, so your anger is not well placed."

Joker wanted her to shut up, to stop talking, to listen instead of tell, "My anger is perfectly placed, EDI, you're the reason that Alenko wanted to break every bone in my body! You're the reason that Elissa is in the medbay with three broken ribs! You're the reason that she had to sit there and listen to someone she loves accuse her of doing horrific things!"

"Jeff, I do not understand—" started EDI.

"Of course you don't fucking understand!" shouted Joker, he was livid with her and he wanted her to at least know even if she would not be able to really understand. "You'll never understand, EDI, you were built to read organics but you weren't built to be an organic! You'll never have emotions, you'll never be able to get close to anyone!"

EDI stood there, unaffected by his words, "Jeff, I believe it would be best if we terminate our relationship permanently, you have clearly stated your true thoughts about me. I have known since we first worked together with me in this platform that you would never really be satisfied with any relationship unless it was with Shepard. Though I had thought you would be able to get the same bio readings with me as you do with her if we were together long enough."

Joker felt like he wanted to hug her but he knew the gesture would be lost on her, so he placed his hand on her shoulder as he spoke, "EDI, I'm so sorry for leading you on, we had a lot of great times together."

"That is alright, Mr. Moreau," said EDI, she had already reverted back to her previous settings, "I will be able to get over this, I still have those times recorded within my hard drive, so they are always with me. I hope that you and Shepard are able to be happy together."

"Lets not jump that far ahead, EDI," said Joker, smiling at her, "she's still engaged to Major Asshole."

"Flight Lieutenant Moreau," said Dr. Ingleside from behind them, startling Joker, "are you ready for your evaluation?"

Joker swallowed hard, he was extremely nervous but he knew he had to get through this if he was going to be able to stay the pilot of the _Normandy_.

"Ready as I'll ever be," sighed Joker and he sat down in his chair, the he looked at EDI, "EDI, would you mind giving the good doctor and I some privacy?"

"Of course, Mr. Moreau," said EDI and she left the cockpit, closing the door behind her.

"Please, Dr. Ingleside," said Joker, indicating the co-pilot's chair, "take a load off."

"Thank you, Mr. Moreau," said Dr. Ingleside sitting in the chair, "I assume you know why I'm here?"

"Your job is to tell the Naval Admirals what's wrong with me and why I'm unfit for duty, how far off base am I?" asked Joker, carefully watching the reaction of the Salarian.

"Not that far off," chuckled Dr. Ingleside, instantly Joker knew he was going to like this Salarian. "I will be conducting your psychological evaluation, at the request of the Alliance Military and Council, and if all goes well I will be getting paid overtime."

Joker chuckled, he was already liking Dr. Ingleside, "I'll try in anyway I can to make sure that happens for you, doc."

"Much appreciated," said Dr. Ingleside and he proceeded to ask Joker various questions about his time on the _Normandy_.

* * *

Elissa was laying down on the couch her cabin, looking up at the ceiling thinking about Kaidan and her almost kiss with Joker, "What a crazy last few days."

"I agree," said Kasumi, emerging from under her cloak.

"How long have you been standing there, Kasumi?" asked Elissa, sitting up as her friend sat next to her.

"Since before Chakwas released you," said Kasumi, reclining against the leather.

"What were you doing up here?" asked Elissa, "Looking at my underwear again?"

"Of course," said Kasumi as if it was still perfectly normal to look through someone else's drawers, "I see they're still lacy, I think Joker would like the red pair on you."

Elissa scoffed, "Why would Joker care what underwear I was wearing?"

"Lets just say I have my theories," said Kasumi, smiling wickedly underneath her hood.

"Come on, Kasumi, tell me what you know," said Elissa in an encouraging tone.

"I don't know anything, Shep," said Kasumi feigning innocence.

"You're lying to me, Kasumi," said Elissa, smiling.

"I could tell you what I think," said Kasumi, "or I could let you have the fun of figuring it out for yourself, personally I'm leaning towards that option."

"Tease," muttered Elissa, and Kasumi hit her with a pillow from the couch, both women laughed.

"I've missed being here on the _Normandy_," sighed Kasumi as she looked around, "even though I wasn't here long, she still feels like home."

"I know what you mean," said Elissa, glancing at her fish tank and model collection, "I hated being on shore leave, I felt completely useless, and Kaidan's house never felt like a home to me. The _Normandy_ is my only true home."

"I have a feeling other crew members think that about this ship," said Kasumi, pulling her knees up to her chest, "Could I ask you something, Shep?"

"Of course, Kasumi, anything," said Elissa, moving on the couch to face her friend.

"Do you remember that one job I worked at the casino, you know, stealing from the rich to give to the poor?" asked Kasumi, "Well, I found out that the refugees I had been sending the money to are no longer receiving any of it, and that the funds are being transferred elsewhere. Would it be too much to ask to go and investigate?"

"I see no harm in it," said Elissa, putting her hand on Kasumi's shoulder, "we'll head for the colony as soon as this trial is over."

"Thank you, Shep," said Kasumi quietly, smiling, "that really means a lot to me."

"I know," said Elissa, smiling.

"Commander Shepard," said EDI through her usual platform, "Major Alenko is requesting entry to the _Normandy_."

"He no longer has access?" asked Elissa.

"No, Tali has blocked his entry codes," replied EDI and Elissa smiled inwardly, leave it to her crew to get even for her.

"EDI, has Dr. Ingleside left yet?" asked Elissa as she and Kasumi stood.

"Yes, he left one minute seventeen seconds ago," replied EDI, "Major Alenko is attempting to pry the doors open with his biotics, should I initiate lockdown mode?"

"No, let him in," sighed Elissa, furrowing her brow.

"Yes, Commander," said EDI.

"Should I go?" asked Kasumi walking towards the door.

"Probably, I don't want you to get hit by the shit storm," said Elissa and Kasumi smiled at her before retreating back to her cloak, the only indication that she had left the room was the opening and closing of the door to Elissa's cabin. Elissa stood there in the open doorway, watching as Kasumi's shadow deftly climbed up to the air duct and left, she smiled to herself thinking about the many times she had seen Kasumi smiling down at her from one of the vents. The elevator across from her cabin pinged and the doors swung open, and Elissa felt her heart drop to her stomach, Kaidan was standing there still fuming.

"I heard you tried to pry my ship apart," said Elissa defensively, crossing her arms and leaning against her doorway.

"Why was my access revoked?" demanded Kaidan as he exited the elevator.

"I'm not in charge of that," said Elissa, trying to hide a smile that threatened to spread across her face, "if you're having technical issues, maybe you should talk to Tali or EDI."

"Why did you have to cheat on me, Shepard?" asked Kaidan angrily, "We had a really great thing going on, and you had to screw it up."

"I screwed it up!?" exclaimed Elissa, dumbfounded.

"Yes, you!" shouted Kaidan, "Ever since you started working for Cerberus we haven't been the same, the least you could've done was send me a vid-mail saying that you were alive."

"I thought we had moved passed this!" yelled Elissa, "Besides, I'm not the one who was calling the other a traitor and a brainwashed puppet!"

"You turned your back on me!" shouted Kaidan, dejected and angry.

"I never turned my back on you, but you sure as hell did!" snapped Elissa, "You've never been able to trust me, not even after I turned myself into the Alliance."

"How could I?!" exclaimed Kaidan, "Especially after seeing that goddamn clone!"

"That happened after you said you'd never doubt me again!" shouted Elissa, trying not to cry, she could tell this was the end.

"You know what, Shepard," said Kaidan, crossing his arms, "I really don't know you and you really don't know me."

"For once, Kaidan, I think we can agree on something," sighed Elissa, stepping forward with her right fist clenched.

"What's this?" asked Kaidan as she placed her fist in his hand and dropped something hard on his palm, when she retracted her hand he saw that she had given him her ring back.

"We're done, Kaidan," said Elissa, "I can't be with someone who doesn't trust me and you can't be with someone you can't trust. Go have the fresh start you've earned."

"Elissa," said Kaidan, closing his fist around the ring, "I'm sorry."

"Yeah," said Elissa, "so am I."

* * *

Joker was sitting back in the mess when he saw Kaidan walk out of the elevator, he looked as if he had aged ten years, "What the hell are you doing on my ship?"

"Look, I'm not in the mood right now, Joker," sighed Kaidan as he walked over to Joker's table.

"What happened?" asked Joker defensively.

"Shepard and I. . . are over," said Kaidan, hanging his head, "She's all yours, hope you like sloppy seconds."

"Fuck you!" shouted Joker, rising quickly, "She never cheated on you with me! That gesture EDI was doing was a bad imitation of me pushing some hairs out of Elissa's face!"

"Seriously?" asked Kaidan smiling slightly, "That was a pretty bad imitation then."

"No shit," smirked Joker, "Either way, I think you should get out of here."

"I don't really see a reason for staying," sighed Kaidan and he extended his hand to Joker.

"You're shitting me," said Joker in disbelief, "you cause all of this hell and I'm supposed to just shake your hand?"

"Consider it my first bite of crow," said Kaidan and Joker reluctantly shook his hand.

"So long, Major," said Joker as Kaidan headed to the bridge.

"For now," said Kaidan as he left the _Normandy_.


	11. When I Look to the Sky

**A/N: The song included in this chapter is from the Disney movie, The Fox and the Hound, it seemed appropriate for how Shepard is feeling. I also wanted to say thanks to everyone whom has viewed and/or reviewed this story, makes a girl feel good. :)**

* * *

_'Have to get to Ash,' thought Elissa as she ran out of the elevator, her assault rifle drawn, Garrus to her left and Wrex on her right. They had made it to the bridge that would take them to the AA tower when a Geth ship appeared in the sky._

_ "Damn, the Geth are sending in reinforcements," said Wrex as Elissa silently cursed._

_ "LT, we've spotted a troop ship headed to your location!" shouted Ashley into the common channel of their ear piece communications._

_ "It's already here," said Kaidan, "and it's bleeding Geth all over the bomb site!"_

_ "Can you hold them off?" asked Elissa, feeling dread creeping into her spine, sending a sharp chill down her back._

_ "There's too many!" shouted Kaidan, "I don't think we can hold them! I'm activating the nuke!"_

_ "Talk to me, Lieutenant!" shouted Elissa, desperate for a solution._

_ "I'm making sure this bomb goes off no matter what," replied Kaidan, calmly. "It's done Commander. Go get the Chief and get the hell out of here."_

_ "Belay that," said Ashley, "We can handle ourselves, Skipper. Go back and get Alenko!"_

_ Elissa stood there, her head spinning, heart hurting, she knew she had to choose and she knew she was leaving a friend to die, "Alenko, radio Joker and tell him to meet us at the bomb site."_

_ "But, Commander—" started Kaidan._

_ "You know it's the right choice, LT," said Ashley, sounding strong as Elissa felt her heart breaking._

_ "Ash, I'm so sorry," said Elissa, she could feel the lump in her throat as she spoke._

_ "I know, Skipper," said Ashley, "It's been an honor."_

_She watched as a large explosion covered the area she knew Ashley was still fighting in, as she and the rest of the crew flew away, leaving the Chief to her fate._

Elissa sprang up from the mattress awake breathing heavily, her body covered in a cold sweat, she could feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins still as if she had just been there on Virmire.

"Ash," said Elissa quietly, pulling her knees to her chest, tears blurring her vision, "I'm so sorry." She had laid down on her bed just to take a nap, she was so tired, and then their suicide mission on Virmire started to play in her head.

"Commander," said EDI, "Commander Shepard, are you alright?"

"I don't know," replied Elissa quietly, "EDI, could you send Joker up to my cabin?"

"Of course, Commander," said EDI, "currently he is eating dinner in the mess so I will go there myself and tell him."

"Thanks, EDI," said Elissa.

"You are welcome, Commander," said EDI and she heard the blip that meant EDI had logged her out.

"I think I need a shower," said Elissa to no one in particular. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood up, the adrenaline had made her legs feel weak so she had to sit back down for a few seconds before attempting to stand again.

* * *

Joker was sitting with Garrus and James in the mess, Rupert had served each human a large bowl of the chili he had made earlier with enough crackers to absorb anything they drank, and he fixed Garrus a special Turian steak. Tali, Hannah, and Liara were conversing quietly a few seats down from them, Jacob was on the com link talking to Brynn back in Vancouver, Kasumi was flitting all over giving her input when she wanted.

"Hey, Joker!" shouted Rupert from the kitchen, "Has the Commander been down to eat yet? I was thinking I might've missed her."

"I don't think so," said Joker, looking around the mess, craning his neck to look down the CIC when he saw EDI walking towards him.

"Mr. Moreau," said EDI, when she reached him, "the Commander has requested your presence in her cabin. I suggest that you get there quickly, her bio readings suggest that she is under some kind of distress."

Joker nearly jumped from the table, "What were her readings?"

"Accelerated heart rate, adrenaline levels were at a high that correlates with those she demonstrates during battle, and her REM sleep was far more active than is normal for a typical human," reported EDI.

"Thanks, EDI," said Joker and he headed to elevator.

"Joker," said Garrus, "Do you want anyone to go with you?"

"Not necessary," replied Joker as he summoned the elevator.

When he got in, he pressed the button that would take him directly to the landing outside of her cabin, he prayed that he was not too late and that she was alright.

Elissa emerged from the shower and got dressed, she was still thinking about Ash and the entire Virmire mission, when Joker came through the door looking extremely worried.

"Ellie," said Joker as he walked in, "EDI said you wanted to see me, what's up?"

Elissa motioned for him to sit on the couch and she sat down beside him, holding her head in her hands, she thought she wanted to talk to him but now that he was here she was not so sure, "It's nothing, just something crazy."

"Elissa," said Joker, seeing the signs that she was shutting down, "you know you can tell me, you've told me nearly everything in the past, why is this any different?"

"Because this is the stuff I've kept from everyone," sighed Elissa, playing with a piece of her wet hair, she watched as the water droplets escaped from the ends, trying not to look at Joker whom she could tell was looking at her with a steady unyielding gaze.

"Ellie, would you just tell me for Christ's sake?" asked Joker, taking her free hand and holding it.

"Alright," said Elissa quietly, taking a shaky deep breath before she started, "I've been dreaming a lot lately about past missions, the latest dream I've had is about Ash and leaving her to die on Virmire. I keep thinking 'What if?' What if I had left sooner, what if I had decided not to go there in the first place, what if I had told her to abandon the Salarians and run? What if—" Her voice hitched and she could not finish speaking without tears falling and she refused to cry in front of Joker.

"You had picked her over Kaidan," finished Joker and Elissa nodded, "If you had done that, you'd be sitting here even more miserable thinking about the life you could've had with Kaidan. Ellie, you said it yourself, the choice wasn't easy and you'll always question yourself."

"It's not just Ash," said Elissa suddenly jumping from the couch to her feet, she started to pace, "I feel like I've failed everyone who ever trusted me, look at all of the people I've lost, how they died. Why couldn't Cerberus have brought any of them back to life? Why did it have to be me? If I had stayed dead then everyone would be alive." She could not hold back the tears any longer, she let them spill, silently cursing herself that she was and slowly brought herself to the floor, leaning against the foot of her bed.

Joker watched as her facade crumbled, his heart aching as he watched her cry, he stood up and joined her on the floor not sure what to do other than hold her so he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. She responded by putting her arms around his neck and crying into his shoulder, her body wracked with sobs, he felt a type of perverse pleasure that although she was sad she was willingly in his arms. He let her cry, he figured this had been the first time she had truly grieved for her lost friends instead of hiding her pain behind the mask of being the impenetrable Commander Shepard.

"Why did they have to die, Jeff?" asked Elissa slightly muffled against his shoulder, "Why did I get to live when they all died? I just want to see them again." She began to weep again, and he was at a loss, there was one thing he thought might work it was a song his mom had sang to him when his grandfather died and he was convinced it was the end, and he started to sing,

"_Goodbye may seem forever, _

_Farewell is like the end, _

_But in my heart's a memory _

_And there you'll always be._"

Elissa stopped crying and listened to the words of the song, not the least bit surprised that Joker could sing, she found comfort in the words and was glad that he had thought to sing to her. She sat up reluctantly and wiped away the stray tears, then she looked at him, "Thank you for listening to my ramblings, I know I must sound pathetic."

"No, you don't," said Joker sharper than what he planned, "you sound human, which is exactly what you are, and nothing will change that. I'm glad you trust me enough to tell me what you've been going through."

"You're one of the few that's been with me from the start," said Elissa, putting her hand on his cheek, "and one of the few that have grieved just as deeply as I have, you care a lot more than you let on, and I'm glad."

He placed his hand on the one of hers on his cheek and leaned into her palm, kissing it softly, relishing in the feel of her skin against his, "Ellie, just let me know when you feel like this, okay? You shouldn't be alone all of the time, especially when you're this upset."

"I'll let you know, Joker," said Elissa smiling, "thanks for being there for me."

"Anytime, Ellie," said Joker and he smiled back at her. _'Damn, I really want to kiss her.'_

"Shepard," said Hackett's voice over the intercom, "you better get your ass down to the debriefing room right now, find Joker too, he needs to hear this."

"Sounds bad," said Elissa as she started to stand up, reaching out to Joker to help him up off of the floor.

"Hackett makes everything sound bad," said Joker trying to make light of the situation but he was worried, this was really unlike Hackett to barge onto the ship and start making orders.

"Lets go," said Elissa and Joker nodded, following her out of the cabin and to the elevator, when they got in she pressed the button noticing that her fingers were shaking slightly.

"Hey, it's going to be alright," said Joker, putting his hand on her shoulder and she slid hers on top of his and smiled.

"Thanks, Jeff," said Elissa and the elevator door opened. They quickly exited the elevator and went right to the debriefing room where they were greeted with Hackett's snarling face.

"They didn't drop the charges," said Hackett through gritted teeth, tossing Elissa a data pad, "you're still being tried for treason, among other things."

"I don't understand," said Elissa as she read the charges, "the generals voted against the charges, they were dropped."

"Apparently not," said Hackett, he leaned over the table, his head hung down, "they're hanging you out to dry, Shepard."

"Why?" asked Elissa as she handed Joker the data pad that had his charges listed as well, "This doesn't make any sense."

"I don't know, Shepard," said Hackett, standing back up, "I was forwarded this from an associate of the Shadow Broker."

"Son of a bitch!" shouted Joker, "They're charging us with mutiny as well! From three fucking years ago!"

"What?!" exclaimed Elissa, swiping back the data pad and scanning for the charge, "Shit, he's right! They've dug up every charge imaginable, except fraternization, oddly enough."

"Seriously?" scoffed Joker, "The one thing the Major is guilty of just as much as you are and. . ."

Hackett, Elissa, and Joker all looked at each other, each having a different reaction: Hackett leaned back onto the table, Joker groaned loudly, and Elissa closed her eyes as her face contorted with rage.

"How much do you want to bet he's cut a deal?" asked Hackett, rubbing his eyes.

"Every credit I have," sneered Joker, crossing his arms.

"Call in the rest of the crew, including my mother, EDI," said Elissa, seething with rage, "They need to hear this as well."

"Yes, Commander," said EDI and within five minutes the rest of the crew had filed in.

"What's going on, Shepard?" asked Garrus as he took a seat.

"Kaidan's sold us out," sighed Elissa and the rest of the crew voiced their anger loudly.

"Quiet!" shouted Hackett over the clamor, "We don't know that for sure but we have a pretty good idea that he did." His omni-tool pinged and he opened the message, then sighed, "Now we know for sure."

"What does the message say?" asked Hannah.

"It's another forward from the Shadow Broker's associate I'm in contact with," said Hackett, "It's an email from Major Alenko to the Turian councilor, talking about a cryptic message Shepard received yesterday about Cerberus and that she is having PTSD induced nightmares that hinder her ability to function as a commander."

Elissa felt fear grip her heart, this was bad and they all knew it, "What the hell is he playing at? Why is he betraying us?"

"I don't know, Shepard," sighed Hackett, "but I think we have to prepare for a guilty verdict and more than likely, incarceration."

"Do you think we'll be discharged?" asked Elissa, indicating herself and Joker, Hackett looked at them wearily.

"I really don't know," said Hackett, "You'll definitely be stripped of your Spectre rank, but the discharge more than likely won't go through only if I can interfere with the paperwork process. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact all of this has been done without my knowledge."

"Do you think they'll try to take the _Normandy_?" asked Joker, his voice strong despite the fear in his eyes.

"Yes, that seems likely," said Hackett grimly.

Elissa felt a plan forming in her head, but she needed to only disclose it with particular members of the crew, "EDI, I need you to recall everyone from shore leave, they are to report back to the Normandy by zero-eight hundred at the latest."

"You have a plan, don't you, Lisa?" asked Liara.

"Yeah, but it's going to require a lot of cooperation from the crew," said Elissa, sternly, "Steve, I need you and James to make sure the shuttle is in no need of any immediate repairs, then you two need to make an inventory of everything we have on the ship: guns, supplies, oxygen, food, the works. Tali, I need you and Adams to check the core, run any tests necessary but it is to remain functional even for an extended period of time.

"Liara, get as much intel you can on the trial, I know you have your sources. Joker, you and EDI need to run every test imaginable on the _Normandy_, I need to know she can maintain being stationary for a while and if not, let me know immediately. Jacob, you and Garrus need to upgrade anything and everything that is necessary, I want exact calibrations nothing is to be half-assed. Kasumi, get in contact with local merchants whom are friendly to us, let them know you might be popping in over the next few weeks to make some purchases but they need to be kept on the down low. We have a lot to do and not much time to do it, lets move!"

No one argued as they filed out of the debriefing room, Joker looked back briefly to see Elissa being spoken to by Hackett and her mother, but he did not stay to hear instead he left to go to the cockpit to get started with those tests, this was going to be a long night.

* * *

"Diagnostics look normal," sighed Joker as he stretched in his chair, he and EDI had been running tests for a solid four hours and it was very late at night.

"They'll be able to be maintained with minimal effort," said EDI as she recorded the readings, "Shepard will be pleased, it seems she wants everyone to be able to take care of the ship even if you and she are not present."

"I think you're right, EDI," yawned Joker as he reclined in his leather chair, "What has Shepard been up to?"

"She has been helping various crew members since she and Hackett stopped communicating," said EDI, hardly glancing up from her consoles.

"Hackett left hours ago," said Joker now curious, "I wonder why she hasn't been up here to help us?"

"Her confidence in your abilities is probably great enough that she sees no need to hover over your shoulder," replied EDI pressing a few buttons, "Running checks on the FTL capabilities."

"Thanks, EDI," said Joker, he closed his eyes, feeling sleep embracing him.

"Joker," said Elissa, her voice emitting through the intercom of the cockpit, "Joker!"

Joker snapped awake, looking around wildly for what or who that had called his name.

"Joker!" Elissa shouted, sounding angry.

"Yes, Commander?" asked Joker hurriedly, pressing the button on his console.

"I need you and EDI to report to my quarters, now," said Elissa, then her voice cut out.

"Come on, EDI, Shepard wants to see us," sighed Joker as he stood up as easily as he could, "we better go see what she wants."

"Agreed," said EDI and she stood from the co-pilot's seat and together they made their way down the quiet CIC and then to the elevator.

"Why's it so quiet?" asked Joker as the elevator lurched up.

"I believe everyone is asleep," replied EDI, checking her omni-tool to confirm her theory, "Shepard appears to be the only one awake besides you, Mr. Moreau."

Joker sighed, his legs were aching and he desperately wanted to sleep but he knew he had to speak with Elissa and then continue running tests until he could not think of anymore to run, he was glad when the elevator doors opened and he exited the elevator as quickly as possible. When he and EDI entered Elissa's room she was leaning over her desk, reading another data pad, it looked as if she had been reading quite a few of them in the last few hours on account of the fact they were scattered all over the room.

"Have a seat," said Elissa, hardly glancing up from her reading, "I'll be with you two in a moment."

Joker looked at EDI who shrugged and they both took a seat on the couch, waiting patiently as Elissa continued to read what Joker could only assume were reports on what she had requested earlier. He glanced at EDI whom was sitting poker straight and he started to gently pat his hands against his thighs to the beat of a song he was thinking of, looking around the room while he waited for Elissa to address him and EDI.

"Sorry to keep you two waiting," said Elissa as she walked over from her desk to the couch, standing in front of them, "I've been reading over the reports and what we're being charged with, and based on what I've read, we're more than likely going to lose the _Normandy_."

Joker swallowed hard, the thought of losing his ship was painful, "Please, tell me you have a way around that."

Elissa nodded, "EDI, when Joker and I leave the _Normandy_ for our trial, you are to initiate lockdown mode as quietly as possible. No one is going to have the authority to disengage the lockdown mode except Joker and myself. Is that understood, EDI?"

"Yes, Shepard," said EDI, nodding slightly, "How are we going to allow the access of food and other supplies?"

"Kasumi has that covered," replied Elissa, "I didn't ask for details, but I trust her to do the job without compromising the safety of my ship."

"How exactly is locking everyone into the ship going to keep the Alliance from taking her back?" asked Joker, slightly annoyed.

"It'll keep everyone I want in, in and everyone I don't want in, out," said Elissa, running her fingers through her hair.

"I like that idea," yawned Joker, taking off his cap for a second to scratch his head before putting it back on.

"I originally thought that we'd just have everyone leave the Citadel," said Elissa wearily, she could feel sleep creeping up on her, "but then I figured either the crew'd be denied access to leave or if they managed to get out they would be unable to get back in."

"Your plan is sound, Shepard," said EDI, standing, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go and record the FTL capability findings."

EDI then left the cabin, Elissa and Joker watching her go before they turned back to face each other, neither one of them feeling their best.

"You look like you did after you killed that Reaper on foot," said Joker, quietly, concern evident in his voice.

"You look like you did after the Collectors took the crew the second time," sighed Elissa, leaning against the wall behind her, "I'm just trying not to think about the trial or the fact that my ex-fiance has sold us out to the Council and Alliance."

"You think he was planning this for a while?" asked Joker, joining her against the wall.

"Maybe, maybe not," said Elissa, "I'm trying not to focus too much on that, right now, I'm worried about losing my ship, my command, and my pilot."

Joker blinked a couple of times, hoping he had heard her right, "You're worried about losing me?"

Elissa gave him a tired smile and shrugged, "I can't help it, Joker, you've been my rock for almost four years and that kind of bond isn't easily broken or forgotten. I worried about you while I was fighting Saren and you were fighting Sovereign, when we went through the Omega four relay, as I destroyed the Reapers."

"Damn, Ellie," said Joker quietly, looking down at his feet, "you really worried that much during battles? I'm flattered."

"Why do you think I don't have fingernails or decent skin around my nail beds?" chuckled Elissa, showing off her poorly manicured hands.

"When would you manage to damage your fingers like that?" asked Joker, grinning at her.

"Shuttle rides, Mako rides, cab rides," said Elissa, "I'd take off my gloves and just pick and bite my fingers like crazy before landing, just thinking about what could happen to you and the _Normandy_, but mostly about you."

She smiled at him and he at her, she could feel that familiar thick air around them, heavy with words unspoken and actions not yet done, _'I could stay here all day,'_ thought Elissa as she looked into his eyes, that now appeared to be green in the light.

Then Joker yawned, long and loudly, turning away while covering his mouth to spare her the unpleasant sight of his gaping mouth.

"Tired?" asked Elissa smiling smugly.

"That's always a possibility," said Joker, wiping his eyes, "you wouldn't mind if I just showed myself out, would you?"

Elissa's smile faded, she was slightly disappointed that he was going to leave but she knew he needed sleep and so did she, "Yeah, it's okay, Joker."

Joker could see the disappointment flicker across her face briefly, "Ellie, if you can't sleep or have another nightmare, just come find me. Promise me you will."

"I promise," said Elissa smiling wearily, "now, off to bed, soldier, that's a direct order."

Joker stood at attention and gave her a salute with a wink, "Aye, aye, ma'am." Then he left the cabin, throwing her his winning smile before the door closed.

Elissa changed out of her uniform and into her sweats, then she laid down in her bed trying to think about something pleasant and not about her impending trial or her traitorous ex-fiance.

"This is going to be a very long night," sighed Elissa as she fought her conscious mind to sleep, eventually winning the battle, though how peaceful it would be she could not be sure.


	12. Walking Away

Elissa turned the wrench one last time, securing the bolt in place, "That's the last one, Steve."

"Great job, Shepard," said Steve who was laying next to her, replacing some wires, "you really know your way around mechanics."

"Garrus taught me," said Elissa as she looked around for anymore damage, "he said I needed to help out with repairs after all of the crap I put the Mako through."

"He's still sore about that?" chuckled Steve as he pushed himself out from under the shuttle.

"I swear he tears up when he thinks about it," said Elissa, smirking as she pushed herself out from under the shuttle as well, then sat up on the wide body creeper, they had been working on repairs to the shuttle since after breakfast and now they were finally done with the thrusters.

"I can't believe this hunk of metal was in such bad shape," sighed Steve as he stood up, looking over the shuttle, "you'd have thought the mechanics on base would have done a better job with her."

"Oh please," scoffed Elissa, wiping some grease from her forearm, "whatever gave you that idea, the fact they haven't blown up an engine in two weeks?"

Steve chuckled, "You've got a point there, Elissa." He offered her his hand and she took it, standing up with his help.

"Hey!" called James, carrying a couple bottles of water, "You two finished?"

"Yeah, no thanks to you, Vega," said Steve, feigning contempt as he caught the bottle James threw at him.

"Lighten up, Esteban," laughed James, handing Elissa a bottle, "you know I'm too big to fit underneath the shuttle."

"But not too big to fit underneath Miranda," mumbled Steve and Elissa nearly choked on her water.

"What?" asked Elissa, wiping the water from her chin, looking at James who had just turned a very dark shade of red.

"James has been seen around Vancouver with Miss Lawson whenever she is in town," said Steve simply, shrugging his shoulders as if this was not huge news, "What's the big deal?"

"You could have told me," said Elissa, playfully punching James in the massive bicep.

"I regret telling Esteban now," muttered James as he took a sip of his own water, glaring at Steve who was calmly wiping grease and oil off his hands.

"Calm down, James," said Elissa smiling, "I'm glad you finally found someone."

James gave her a small smile, "So, what's left on the long to-do list you've saddled us with, Lola?"

"Lets see," said Elissa wiping the sweat from her brow, "Shuttle's fixed, inventory's been processed, Kasumi's taking care of how we're getting supplies, Joker's run just about every test known to man on the ship, and Tali's taken care of the core. I can't think of anything else right now, unless you two can."

"Are you going to let us in on this grand scheme you've hatched, Lola?" asked James, leaning against the shuttle, eyeing Elissa suspiciously.

"Not yet," sighed Elissa, thinking about the crazy plan she had come up with less than twelve hours ago.

"Lola, you know you can trust us," said James pointing at himself and Steve. She smiled at them James had a point, she could trust him and Steve but right now, she wanted to wait to tell them just in case something went wrong, then they could not be implicated in her plan to maintain control of the ship.

"I'll tell you later," said Elissa picking up the hoodie she had discarded earlier, "I'm going to go and see if anything else needs to be taken care of, see you at dinner."

* * *

Elissa dropped against the wall of the elevator and sighed heavily, she had barely gotten any sleep the night before and now she had to make it through this day without cracking once, so far she was maintaining her composure. The elevator stopped at the CIC and she got off looking around for someone to talk with she then saw Samantha Traynor standing by the galaxy map, Samantha had always been a voice of encouragement since she had started working on the _Normandy_, and right now Elissa needed some encouragement.

"Commander," said Samantha happily as Elissa approached, "It's been so long since I've seen you."

"Yeah, I guess," said Elissa smiling, "although we have been on the ship together."

"True," said Samantha, "but you've been so busy with this trial and all, it's like you're a phantom, everyone knows you're here but not where you are."

"Didn't realize my absence was affecting the crew," said Elissa, looking around at everyone in the CIC, "I'll try to be visible as much as possible today, God knows what'll happen tomorrow."

"Do you really think it'll be that bad?" asked Samantha in a quiet voice, "I mean, are we really going to lose the _Normandy_?"

"I'll be honest with you, Traynor," said Elissa, "that's how it's looking right now, but I'm preparing for the worst, so just wait patiently we might be worried for nothing." She hated to lie to Samantha, especially since they had become good friends, but right now it was best for her to think that there was nothing to worry about.

"Well, Shepard," said Samantha, turning to face the terminal, "whatever happens, I know you'll come out on top."

"Thanks, Traynor," said Elissa smiling wearily, she looked up and caught a glimpse of Joker's hat over his chair, "If you or any of the crew need me in the next few minutes, I'll be in the cockpit with Joker." Traynor nodded as Elissa left and made her way up the cockpit, eager to speak with someone who would not ask why they were doing all of these checks.

"Alright, so the kinetic barriers need to be upgraded," said Joker, as Elissa quietly entered behind him, "Anything else, EDI?"

"Not currently, Mr. Moreau," said EDI, "I will let you know if there is anything else."

"Much appreciated, EDI," said Joker as he used the intercom, "Hey, Jacob, EDI says the kinetic barriers need an upgrade."

"Alright, thanks, Joker," said Jacob.

"No problem," said Joker and he relaxed into his chair, releasing a rush of air in a long sigh, "I've never had to do so many tests so fast."

"If it's too much," said Elissa and she watched Joker jump in his seat, "then maybe you should take a break."

"Shit, Ellie, way to scare a guy," said Joker as he spun around in his chair, "and no, it's not too much, just a lot."

"What's the difference?" laughed Elissa as she sat down in the co-pilot's chair, facing him.

"Too much means I can't do it," said Joker, "a lot means enough work to keep me busy."

"Noted," said Elissa smiling, "Where's EDI?"

"Her body is in the AI core," replied Joker, glancing over at her, he felt a rush of blood to places he wished it would not go as he caught a glimpse of the skintight white tank top and black cotton shorts, her long legs stretched out gracefully.

"What's she doing down there?" asked Elissa, trying not to notice Joker's lingering gaze, though she could feel her body becoming flushed as he stared at her.

"Uh, not sure," said Joker snapping his eyes reluctantly back to the console, "she said something about a backup import or something like that, I wasn't paying much attention, too focused on reading Garrus' report." He hoped she would not catch him in his miserable excuse of a lie, Garrus had not sent him anything of late, and he was sure Elissa knew that.

"What did the report say?" asked Elissa slyly.

"Calibrations to the main gun are perfect while the starboard guns need a few more tweaks," said Joker, glancing at the report that just sounded off his omni-tool.

"Always something needing to be calibrated," sighed Elissa, facing EDI's console, "How'd you sleep?"

"Pretty well, actually," replied Joker, he looked over, seeing the very dark circles underneath her eyes, "Did you have any more nightmares?"

"Nope, just couldn't turn my mind off," said Elissa, closing her eyes, "I'm scared, Jeff."

Joker stared at her wide eyed, he had never heard her utter those words before, not once in the time he had known her. She had faced some formidable adversaries in the past that would have made the Alliance brass shit themselves, without hesitation, "What's scaring you, Ellie?"

"This is an enemy I can't fight," said Elissa, "this enemy moves in the shadows, pulling strings and tangling me up in red tape, I'd rather face Harbinger again than go through this bull."

"Please don't say that," whispered Joker, looking down at his lap, "I couldn't go through that again."

Elissa stared at him, "What did you say?"

"I said I couldn't watch you run into the arms of Harbinger again," said Joker sharply, he was trying to fight the tears that had welled up in his eyes.

"Joker, I didn't realize. . . " started Elissa but she was too stunned to speak, she knew she worried like hell about him, but she could not believe that he worried about her so much, he was the one always telling her that she was the unstoppable Commander Shepard.

"I know," said Joker, reaching across, putting his hand on her shoulder, "I'm sorry for snapping at you, just please, don't say things like that."

"I promise I won't," said Elissa, rubbing his forearm, then her omni-tool sounded off, "I have to go, message from Kasumi, hopefully she has an update for me."

She stood up as he retracted his arm from her shoulder, going back to his calculations, suddenly he felt something on his cheek and he realized she was kissing it.

"What was that for?" asked Joker, stunned.

"I'm not sure," replied Elissa, giggling behind her hand, surprising even herself. She bounded off for the cargo bay, still wondering why she had kissed Joker on the cheek, not even thinking twice about whether or not someone would see or he would protest.

Joker sat there in his chair and pondered why each trees' leaves changed a different color in the fall, why the ocean changed colors depending on its mood, and why in hell Commander Elissa Shepard had just kissed him willingly on the cheek. _'Another impossible question from the universe,'_ thought Joker as he happily went back to his work, suddenly, calculations were not as dull now.

* * *

Rupert had prepared a special dinner for what they all were now assuming was their last night with Joker and Elissa on board the _Normandy_, he had made spaghetti and meatballs in homemade marinara sauce with several large loaves of French bread coated in a butter-garlic mixture. The smell of the sizzling meatballs had brought most of the ship to the mess long before dinner was ready, it had been ages since they had had actual meat instead of the imitation crap they had been fed during the rebuilding of Council space, when trade and imports were limited. Joker was already sitting with Hannah and Tali, he was definitely going to miss these moments, when the whole crew could come together at meals and interact like one large and very loud family.

"You should definitely come to Rannoch, Admiral Shepard," said Tali, "you'd be amazed just watching the Geth and Quarians interact, both sides behave as if there had not been the war. Not only that, but we already have several settlements and most of the children are able to run around without having to wear their enviro-suit."

"That's incredible," said Hannah, truly impressed with the rebuilding of Rannoch, "I think I should go, see if there is anyway I can help out, though I'm sure there won't be much need for an Alliance admiral with all of the Geth and Quarians working so hard already."

"Oh, no, Admiral Shepard," said Tali quickly, "there is always a need for help, and you would be an excellent ally to have at this time."

"Tali, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Hannah?" asked Hannah, smiling, "That admiral crap is just for the brass, not even my own soldiers call me Admiral Shepard."

"I knew I liked you for a reason," said Joker smiling at Hannah, "your informality when it comes to rank really resonates with me."

"I would assume as much," said Hannah, smirking, "I'm really glad we met, Joker, you've been a great friend to Jackie."

"I do what I can," said Joker, shrugging his shoulders, "I'm just glad I was given a second chance to redeem myself."

"You still feel responsible for her death, don't you?" asked Hannah, putting her hand on his in a motherly fashion.

Joker nodded, the knot in his stomach tightening even more, he was sure Hannah knew about Elissa's death but not that he had been the reason for her untimely loss. Thinking she had been aware that he had killed her only child now made him skeptical of whether she really liked him or was being passive aggressive.

"Please, don't blame yourself," said Hannah, he could see in her eyes begging him to let it go, "you were both doing your job, you saved a majority of the crew that day. She died to protect you, that's what she does best, you of all people should know that by now."

"Yeah, I guess," said Joker, the guilt was still there but at least he knew Hannah was not angry or bitter that he had been a stubborn mule that refused to leave his post.

"Hey, Lisa," said Tali as Elissa sat down next to Joker, her arm briefly brushing against his, causing the hairs to stand up on end.

"Hey, Tali, what did I miss?" asked Elissa trying to sound cheerful.

"We were just talking about Rannoch and the developing of some new settlements," said Hannah quickly, winking at Joker as she spoke.

"I should go there sometime," said Elissa, smiling at Tali, "see how everything's going, I'm really interested in seeing the Geth working together to build something instead of killing everything organic."

"That seems like so long ago," said Tali, shaking her head slowly, "I can't believe that it was only four years ago that we were on opposite sides of the Geth and now we're working side by side with them. All thanks to you of course, Lisa."

"I was very impressed when I read that report from Hackett," said Hannah, practically glowing with pride, "I nearly framed it but thought that would look a little silly."

"Mom, you were really going to frame my report?" asked Elissa flabbergasted, "That reminds me of when you hung up my acceptance letter from the Alliance above your desk, then Dad wanted to hang my promotion orders when I was promoted to Commander. They're both still there aren't they?"

"Yep, they're hanging in my cabin as we speak," said Hannah, her eyes misting over, "you've made me a very proud mother, Elissa."

"I always tried to, Mom," said Elissa, giving a small smile to her mother, "I never wanted you once to think that I had compromised my virtue or integrity for the sake of what was easy."

"I never doubted you, Elissa," said Hannah, caressing her daughter's cheek like she used to when Elissa was a small child.

"Dinner!" shouted Rupert, "Come and get it!" There was a mad scramble to get in line, everyone wanting to get a helping of the delicious food that Rupert had made.

"What's the occasion, Cookie?" asked Joker as he handed Rupert his bowl, Rupert gave him a look of contempt as he filled the dish nearly full of spaghetti.

"Just wanted to do something nice for you and the Commander," said Rupert trying to hide the truth with a flimsy lie.

Joker patted him on the shoulder, he had a feeling that the truth behind this special meal had to with the fact that this was probably the last meal they would have with the crew altogether for maybe months.

"Thanks for the food, Rupert," said Elissa as he handed her a bowl, "I really appreciate all you've done since you signed on, even though you started off working with Cerberus, I can't think of the _Normandy_ without you."

"And I can't think of the _Normandy_ without you either, Shepard," said Rupert, trying to sound cheerful but notes of melancholy were still evident in his voice, "I've enjoyed being part of your crew, it's been the greatest honor in my life, and I know nothing else can top having worked with you."

Elissa could feel the tears in her eyes, she knew if he kept on speaking he would eventually cause her to release them, "Thank you, Rupert, you have no idea how much that means to me to hear you say that."

"Commander Shepard," said Donnelly, standing up from his seat at one of the tables, "I would just like to say, it has been the second greatest pleasure in my life, having worked with you. I wouldn't trade my time on the _Normandy_ for nothing else in this entire universe."

"Only the second?" asked Elissa, smirking as she raised an eyebrow.

"Well, even my beautiful wife outranks you, Shepard," said Donnelly, looking down at Daniels, their faces were both glowing with love and he sat down.

"I'm guessing you all have pretty much figured out that this is most likely the last night Joker and I will spend on the _Normandy_," said Elissa, eyeing her crew, they all nodded.

"I also want to say something," said Daniels, standing, "I will always be in debt to both Shepard and Joker, they risked the safety of the ship and their lives to rescue all of the crew from the Collectors, and because of them I am now happily married and have had the greatest adventures of my life."

"I have worked with both Shepard and Joker from the beginning," said Garrus, "Shepard is one of the best marksman I have ever had the pleasure of upstaging, and my truest friend, I am proud to have worked beside her in many a battle. Joker, although his mouth may get him into a few tight spots, he has never said anything that was not already what the rest of us was already thinking. He might not be part of the ground crew, but he is a warrior in his own way, using this amazing ship as his weapon and making it dance under his expert hands."

Liara stood up, smiling at both Joker and Elissa, "Lisa has been my friend from the start, she trusted me when most would not, and supported me with whatever harebrained theory I had come up with. With her help, I was able to save the love of my life and now am happily pregnant, if it had not been for her I might be having a very different life. Joker, I have always envied your mastery as a pilot, after having seen you in action I was inspired to try and master certain skills of my own but I still do not come anywhere near your level expertise in comparison."

Tali was the next to stand, even from a distance, Elissa could see her visor was already steamed on the inside, "Lisa, I have always looked up to you like you were my older sister, entrusted my life to you, and we have had each others' backs from the start. You have given me more than I feel I deserve: you allowed me to bring important technology back to the fleet from my pilgrimage, defended me during my own trial and mourned the loss of my father with me, and then you go and return my homeland to my people. Joker, you have kept me safe just as much as Lisa has, comforted me when the rest of my people all but threw me in the nearest airlock and been my dearest friend. I will remember those memories just as fondly and often as I remember those of Lisa, keelah se'lai."

Elissa was practically in tears, all of these speeches touched her heart in a very special way, she was aware of all her accomplishments and attributes but to hear how her friends spoke about her made everything she had done just that much more important. There were not any words she could say that would be equivalent to those that had just been spoken, and she was not going to even try to, instead she walked up to each of her crew members if they had spoken or not and hugged them then thanked them for their service and loyalty.

Joker stood there in awe as he watched her work her magic, even without words she was still able to convey to her crew how she felt about them and how much she truly appreciated their service. He was so enraptured with her act of benevolence towards the crew that he did not hear Garrus walk up beside him.

"Are you ever going to tell her?" asked Garrus quietly.

"I really don't know, Garrus," said Joker sighing, "I want to, but right now, that's probably the very last thing on her mind and I don't want to complicate anything for her."

"Joker," said Garrus, "just grow a quad and tell her, spirits, if this was happening between Turians then you would have been beat out for her a very long time ago."

"I was already beat out, remember?" sneered Joker, "She probably doesn't want to get involved with anyone right now, I'm just going to leave her alone about romance, see what happens if I do that."

Garrus shook his head, "Just don't let too much time go by, you might not get another chance, just saying."

"I appreciate the optimism," sighed Joker as Elissa got closer to where they were standing, still happily embracing each individual crew member, she winked at him as she went in to hug Garrus. He had never heard of any other commander doing what she had, taking the time to go and thank each person of the crew one-on-one, she was truly a unique person.

Elissa finished hugging Tali, who's visor was now clear of any steam though she could still hear Tali sniffling, and then she looked at Joker surprising him with a warm embrace. She pulled him into her tight, enjoying the feeling of her chest pressed against his, his arms snaking around her torso.

"What's this for?" asked Joker into her neck, resisting every urge in his body that was telling him to nip the soft skin.

"I didn't want you to feel left out," replied Elissa, smiling as his beard tickled her nose and cheek, the smell of spices filling the air around her. Reluctantly she pulled away, there was something important she needed to say to the crew, give them an insight into what was happening and to give them a choice.

"Everyone," called Elissa in a raised voice, "I can't let you in on everything that is going on right now or what my true plan is, but I will give you a very important choice that does not need to be made now: you have the choice of staying on the _Normandy_ until I return or you can leave and go back home. If you decide to leave, you will not be treated or seen any differently from those who stayed on the ship, and the reverse is true as well. Like I said, you don't have to make the choice now, but you must have made up your mind before Joker and I leave tomorrow and if you are going to leave you must do so about the time he and I go to our trial."

There was some muttering amongst the crew as everyone talked about the choice they had been given and they all started to eat, Elissa sat with her mother and Joker, though she hardly had an appetite. Walking away from the _Normandy_ for a second time was going to be the hardest thing she had ever done, it was difficult enough the first time but at least she knew who was going to be looking after her ship, now she was not sure if she was handing it over to a friend or an enemy. She felt something touch the hand that was sitting in her lap and she looked down, seeing Joker's hand covering hers, and in some strange way she had a feeling that everything would work out for the best.


	13. Condemned Without Trial

_'Damn medal,'_ thought Elissa as she pinned her medal for bravery onto her dress blues, her mother had insisted that she wear every medal she had ever earned as a way to remind everyone that saw her of all she had accomplished in her military career. When she was satisfied with the placement of the defiant medal, she gave herself a once over in the mirror, smoothing the top of her hair to get the stray hairs under control.

"This is the best it's going to get," sighed Elissa and she looked around her cabin, the one place that had been completely hers from the moment she set foot in there and could not be touched by Cerberus, she had even grown fond of the fish tank that contained the most colorful fish in the galaxy. Glancing over at her desk she held her breath, next to her personal terminal was her framed dog tags that Liara had given her after the mission of dealing with the old Shadow Broker, and beside them rested her helmet from her old uniform. That helmet still showed the signs of scorch marks and chips from her descent into the atmosphere of Alchera, when she had found it on the planet's surface two years after her death she had been hesitant to look into it, she feared there still might have been pieces of her still attached. Much to her relief there had not been, but looking at it now, she no longer felt a chill roll down her spine instead she felt a sense of pride knowing that she had conquered impossible feats including death itself. She was so lost in her thoughts and memories that she did not hear Joker enter her cabin.

"Ellie," said Joker from behind, startling her, "it's almost time to go." Joker too was in his dress blues and he watched her reaction to his words and it was pure melancholy, the sparkle that was usually there in her eyes had faded, he had seen this look on her before when she had lost a friend.

"Jeff," said Elissa, still looking at her desk, "I'm so sorry."

Joker moved closer to her, looking also at the helmet that rested on her desk, the knot in his stomach clenching so tight he nearly threw up, "What are you sorry for, Ellie?"

"For putting you through this," said Elissa, turning to face him now, "this was my mess and I should have cleaned it up, I should have made sure you wouldn't be taken away with me, made sure that you kept the _Normandy_."

"Elissa," said Joker, "if you weren't on the _Normandy_, I wouldn't stay on, I'd follow you anywhere, pilot anything you were on even a crappy little merchant ship."

Elissa smiled, "I would never ask you to waste your talent on a merchant ship, that'd be like putting a college professor in a kindergarten classroom, absolutely wasted genius."

Joker groaned in frustration not caring if Elissa heard or not he was trying to tell her in his own roundabout way that she was the reason he had signed on with Cerberus in the first place, that he had willingly given up almost two years of his life just to watch over her while she was being rebuilt, that he wanted to jump out of the _Normandy_ to stop her when she went running towards the beam during the Final Battle, all because he loved her.

"Joker, are you alright?" asked Elissa, she was concerned that he might be upset or something based on that groan.

"No, Ellie, I'm not alright," said Joker and he took her hand in his, "I've been trying too hard to fight against. . . What I mean to say is, we've known each other a long time and. . . I've been trying to tell you. . . ."

"Yes?" asked Elissa, her heart fluttering in her chest.

He did not say anything, he just pulled her against him wrapping his arms around her body, snuggly holding her to his form then leaned down slightly and brought his lips to hers in a deep and passionate kiss. His body seemed to act on its own, his hands traveled to different areas, one hand on her neck his fingers twisting in the stray hairs beneath her bun, and the other one roaming up and down her back finally resting on her lower back though he desperately wanted to reach down lower. He felt her hips press against his and her thigh gently rested on his manhood, the sensation nearly bringing him to his knees as kissed her even deeper than before. She was kissing him back, with as much or more passion, then he felt the tip of her tongue run gently on his lower lip and he eagerly allowed it entry and he moaned when she ran it across his, the mint from her toothpaste overwhelming his taste buds as his tongue danced with hers.

Elissa enjoyed the feeling of his lips against hers, even the tickling of his beard was pleasant on her skin, she nearly moaned when she felt his hand on her neck working her hair with his fingers. She involuntarily pressed her hips closer to his when his hand rested on her lower back feeling his impressive manhood on her thigh, at her touch he seemed to want her more, kissing her deeper. She wanted more, to bring this to even greater heights of pleasure, so she softly ran her tongue across his lower lip and she gained entry into his mouth much to her delight. Feeling bold she ran her tongue across his and relished the feeling of the moan he released that seemed to radiate through her as well, and she wanted to groan when their tongues began to dance.

After a few more moments of being locked together in the amorous embrace of lips, they reluctantly parted, but did not release the hold they had on each other instead they stood there with their foreheads pressed together. Joker could feel his heart pounding hard in his chest though the blood was noticeably somewhere else that was becoming rather painful as it strained against his zipper wanting to be released. He looked into Elissa's eyes, the sparkle and life had returned to them, even if she told him never to touch her again he was glad that he had been able to bring her back from the dark place she was going in her mind.

"Wow," breathed Elissa, smiling, "you're really an amazing kisser."

Joker smiled, kissing her on the nose, "You're not too bad yourself, Ellie."

Elissa's smile began to fade, she wanted to keep kissing him and never stop, wanted to feel his lips on her neck and other intimate areas of her body but right now that was not what she needed to be concerned about. Right now she needed to be thinking about the fact she was going to prison, losing her ship, getting stripped of her Spectre status and throwing the lives of everyone around her completely off track. She knew she was supposed to be worried about all of those things but in Joker's arms, those problems did not seem to worry her as much as they probably should have, she felt that all was right in the galaxy as she stood there pressed up against his chest with his arms wrapped protectively around her.

"Elissa," said Joker, his forehead still on hers, "I'm not sure if this between us is going to become anything with all that we're going through, but I just want you to know, this has been the best ride of my life and the greatest reward."

"Jeff, you're—" started Elissa but she was silenced by a soft kiss that took her breath away, when she was released of the kiss, she saw Joker looking at her with an expression that made her want to never let him go.

"I know, Ellie," said Joker, and he let go of her completely, "I think we should go say good bye to everyone now."

Elissa nodded and allowed him to lead her out of the room otherwise she was not sure if she would ever leave her cabin.

* * *

While they stood in the elevator, she tired to put on a brave face but each time she thought of leaving her friends the mask would fall to the ground with a loud thud, this was not going to be easy. They finally arrived at the CIC though Elissa had wished that the ride had taken longer, when they got out they saw a line of people waiting for them each one dressed in their blues, all were there to say good bye to their commander and pilot.

"Who's leaving with us?" asked Elissa as she stared at her crew, "I could call some taxis if necessary."

"None of us are leaving, Commander," said Donnelly, stepping forward, "We are going to stand beside you and fight for the _Normandy_."

Elissa was touched, she had expected at least a few members to be leaving the ship, but the overwhelming support she was receiving from them was humbling, "You all know this requires a great deal of sacrifice, correct?"

"We know, Shepard," said Daniels, "but we've all talked it over and we are all willing to work together to get through this with you. We're not going to abandon our commander or our pilot."

Elissa placed a trembling hand over her mouth to stifle the sob that was threatening, she had always known her crew was fiercely loyal to her but this was more than she ever could have asked for, and she felt her legs give way. She dropped to her hands and knees, the crew rushing forward to help her but she waved them off, "I'll be fine, just give me a second." Another lie to the crew, she was not fine, nor would she be for a very long time this leaving was killing her, _'I have a duty to these people as a commander and now I can't even do that,'_ she thought still sitting there on the floor when she felt a reassuring hand squeeze her shoulder. Glancing up she saw Joker easing himself down to the floor, his eyes never leaving her for a moment, and for a split second she thought of telling him not to help her but then she realized that he was losing just as much as she was and somehow was still being her rock.

"Elissa, you have to get up," said Joker to her quietly but firmly in her ear, "you have to be Commander Shepard, I know it's hard, but you have to do it."

Elissa nodded, she knew she was being ridiculous but damn, it was a lot easier to stay there on the floor like a coward than being Commander Shepard. Reluctantly she stood with help from Joker and her mother, and she looked to her crew, all were smiling at her and she knew they had understood her momentary weakness.

"You are the best crew the Alliance has in its service," said Elissa strongly, her voice gaining confidence the more she spoke, "we have gone to hell and we have survived, together we faced enemies most can only imagine and we are stayed strong, this crew has singlehandedly shown to everyone whom has doubted us that we are the best. I could not have made it as far as I have without any of you, I will never forget your loyalty or your camaraderie, I consider you all my family." She looked to her mother who smiled at her, encouraging her to continue, "With any luck, I will be seeing you all again, but if not then fight for the _Normandy_, fight for your pilot, and most importantly fight for the chance to show those asshole politicians what soldiers are really made of!"

The crew cheered, it might not have been her strongest speech but it was the most personal one she had delivered, and she knew the crew had understood how much she loved them all. One by one, they all came up and saluted her, some stopping long enough to hug her before moving on to Joker, who was also saluted despite being only their pilot and she could tell by his face he felt undeserving of this honor.

"You've earned this," said Elissa quietly and Joker smiled at her.

"If you say so, Commander," said Joker as Daniels hugged him gently.

"We'll take good care of your baby," said Donnelly to Joker as he shook his hand, "she'll be in pristine condition when you get back."

Joker wanted to believe that he would indeed be returning but knew the reality was probably a different story though he said nothing to contradict Donnelly, "Thanks, Donnelly, I really appreciate it and I can't imagine the _Normandy_ in better hands."

Donnelly nodded and left the queue allowing Garrus to stand in front of Joker for what might be the last time.

"How do you know when a Turian is out of ammo?" asked Joker, trying to keep a straight face.

"When he switches to the stick up his ass as a backup weapon," replied Garrus, flexing his mandibles in an effort not to smile, "Why does the Alliance hire pilots with brittle bone disease?"

"So their marines can beat someone in hand-to-hand drills," said Joker and they shook hands, out of the corner of his eye, Joker saw Elissa shaking her head but she was smiling so he counted it as a victory.

"Take care of yourself, Joker," said Garrus.

"You too, Garrus," said Joker smiling as they dropped hands. Garrus was the last person in line and Joker could feel atmosphere change when he realized this, everyone was starting to become sad as they watched him and Elissa leave the _Normandy _and probably to not return for a very long time. Just before entering decontamination, they both turned back to see the entire crew saluting them again, though most now had tears in their eyes even James looked like he was fighting back a waterfall.

"James, you're in charge," said Elissa, "keep the crew safe until I return."

"I will, Commander, stay strong," said James and Elissa nodded, then they turned and left the _Normandy_.

* * *

When they were clear of the doors, they heard the kinetic shields activate and shimmer across the sleek body of the _Normandy_ and they knew EDI had listened to what Elissa had asked of her, hopefully no one would try to sabotage her again.

"Commander Shepard, Flight Lieutenant Moreau," said a familiar voice, "I'm here to escort you to both to the Tower."

Elissa was relieved to see Steve's boyfriend, Edward Oakley standing there in a C-Sec uniform with a shuttle behind him.

"Edward," said Elissa, "glad to see you again, wish it was under better circumstances."

"Same here, Shepard," said Edward giving her a small smile, "Are you both ready to go?"

Elissa nodded and Edward motioned for them to follow him into the shuttle, once they were settled in the pilot took off following a route that Elissa was unfamiliar with since they had not even used the elevator to get to the transit service.

"Why are we flying this route?" asked Elissa.

"It's for your protection," said Edward, "just to make sure that no one will follow you and try to harm you, it's happened before during treason trials like these."

"To who?" asked Joker, and Elissa gave him a look that told him he should not have asked that question.

"Captain David Anderson," said Edward shrugging, "He was tried for treason after Shepard died, but since he was appointed as a councilor he was found innocent, and someone tried to shoot him en route to Arcturus."

"Do you think you could answer a question that's been bothering me, Oakley?" asked Elissa, her commander voice now being used.

"I'll try my best, ma'am," replied Edward.

"Why aren't Joker and I being tried at Arcturus?" asked Elissa, standing up, holding one of the overhead bars for support, "If this is a treason trial, why aren't we being tried on Earth?"

"Probably because you're a Spectre and you both are traitors to the Council by having worked with Cerberus in the past," replied Edward, shrugging his shoulders. Elissa stiffened, suddenly she was not liking Edward Oakley much anymore, he had already labeled them as traitors without hesitating or justification.

Joker glared at Oakley, and he could tell by Elissa's rigid stature that she had detected the subtle animosity that was being projected by him as well. He was sorely tempted to call for another shuttle to take them the rest of the way to the Tower but he knew if he did that would only raise more suspicion resulting in more questions than answers.

"Where's Hackett?" asked Joker sharply and Edward stared at him a moment before speaking.

"I would assume waiting at the Tower for you two," said Edward calmly, "unless something's come up that might delay him."

"What might delay him?" asked Elissa, startled though quickly covering her surprise.

"He's a busy man with many responsibilities, Commander," said Edward, adjusting his assault rifle in his arms, "I don't which exact meeting or briefing might prevent him from making it to your sentencing."

"You know an awful lot for a C-Sec officer," said Elissa eyeing him suspiciously.

"Helps to have connections all over, as you well know, Commander," said Edward, brushing off her comment.

They remained quiet the rest of the way to the Tower, when they arrived they saw a huge crowd standing outside of it, and Elissa knew all too well that these were the worst bloodhounds in the galaxy: reporters. She sighed, this was the last group of people she wanted to see right now, all they would do to anything she said would be distort and misinterpret what she was telling them. When they landed, Edward and the pilot placed themselves behind Elissa and Joker before opening the doors to the swarm of reporters that waited beyond the foot thick metal door.

"You ready?" asked Joker, trying to calm himself down, he had very little experience when it came to dealing with reporters so he was going to go by Elissa's example when they exited the shuttle.

"Ready as I'll ever be," sighed Elissa, and she gave him a crash course in media training "Don't look any of them in the eye, if you are repeatedly hounded by a reporter with questions just answer 'No comment,' they really hate that answer, also don't mention anything in a whisper to me that could imply to them that we're hiding something. Just look straight ahead and if I start talking to a reporter, you just keep on going, don't stop and wait for me and don't talk to anyone."

"Got it," said Joker and the doors flew open and there was the immediate hum of the reporters' questions not to mention the flashes from their cameras and the lights from their orbs. He followed Elissa's instructions and did not look at any of the reporters though it was rather difficult with several of them getting close to his face, demanding answers, he answered, "No comment," to several of them which really was a repellant to them. Just then, a very familiar reporter jumped in their path, it was Khalisah al-Jilani and she seemed to be very eager to get a word with Elissa.

"Commander, is it true that you are being tried for treason for your past dealings with the terrorist group, Cerberus?" asked Khalisah, smug as ever.

"No comment," said Elissa and she tried to move around the reporter but was blocked.

"Commander, is it also true that you were responsible for the death of hundreds of thousands of Batarians?" asked Khalisah, physically placing her arms across Elissa's path.

"I said, no comment, Khalisah," remarked Elissa, her tone now firm.

"Humanity is wondering how the great Commander Shepard has fallen so quickly from grace," smirked Khalisah, "You owe it to the people to give them an answer."

"She owes them no such explanation, al-Jilani," said Emily Wong, coming up from behind several reporters and she smiled at Elissa, "If anything, we owe her an explanation for turning on her so quickly and why no one is supporting her innocence."

Elissa could have kissed Emily, that was the most support she had received from the press in a very long time, "Thanks, Emily, by the way, I'll gladly give you an exclusive interview if I can as a proper thank you for your support."

Emily looked stunned but not as surprised as Khalisah, "Thank you, Shepard, I promise it will only be questions you're at liberty to answer."

"Why does this bitch get the interview?" asked Khalisah, angrily though she was not aware that she had angered Elissa a great deal now.

"Because she is ten times the reporter you are, al-Jilani," snapped Elissa fiercely, "Emily has always been for making the galaxy a better place, unlike you, and I will always be proud to affiliate myself with her over you. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get to my trial."

Elissa pushed passed both of the reporters with Joker following closely behind her, tempted to give Khalisah a gloating smile but decided against it when he saw her face, so he just walked by her giving little if any expression. He was rather impressed with how well Elissa had handled being bombarded by the press, if it had been him, he would have given them every smart-ass answer he could come up with.

"You're really great at this," said Joker as they entered the Citadel Tower, luckily for them Edward and the other guard were keeping the reporters from entering behind them.

"Thanks, Joker," said Elissa giving him a small smile as they ascended the staircase, her legs feeling more and more like jelly the closer they got to the top.

"Where's Hackett?" whispered Joker to Elissa when he noticed the admiral was no where to be seen.

"Your guess is as good as mine," replied Elissa in a whisper, she was looking around for him but there was no sign that he was waiting around or had been there at all. When they arrived at the top, she half expected to see him standing there waiting to greet them but there was no one there to meet them.

"I have a bad feeling about this, Elissa," said Joker uneasily as they stood at the podium, waiting for the Councilors and the other admirals and generals to arrive, Edward and the pilot were stationed behind them. Strangely, there were several other C-Sec officers stationed around the platform behind the podium where they were standing.

"I agree," said Elissa, she heard a door opening then looked to her left only to wish she had not, Major Kaidan Alenko had just entered the chamber with General Windsor.

"Shit," she heard Joker say, and she knew he had seen him too.

"Something's up," said Elissa, watching as the rest filed into the room, no one even looking over at Elissa and Joker.

"What should we do?" asked Joker, he had sensed something was wrong as soon as he saw Kaidan enter the room.

"Stand here and face the music," sighed Elissa, she knew they were done for even before the trial resumed.

"We call to order this trial," said the Turian Councilor, "would the accused please step up to the podium."

Elissa sighed and moved up a step, Joker did the same, both feeling uneasy about all of the eyes that were on them as they stood there completely exposed.

"After reviewing both of your psychological evaluations and the evidence for the charges brought against you," said the Salarian Councilor, "the generals and the Council have reached a verdict. We find the accused Commander Elissa J. Shepard and Flight Lieutenant Jeffery P. Moreau guilty of all charges." There was a huge outcry from some of the generals, protesting the verdict, wanting to challenge the final decision of the Council.

"I was not aware of this!" shouted General Rowland, obviously angry.

"I did not agree to this verdict!" proclaimed Flight Admiral Washburn his face red with rage, "I demand to know why they have been found guilty!"

Elissa lowered her head trying to control her own rage, even though she had expected the verdict, it was still a cold blow.

The Turian Councilor raised his hand to silence the room, "You are hereby sentenced to spending the next ten years in the Citadel Security Intergalactic Prison, you are henceforth stripped of your ranks of Spectre, Commander, and Flight Lieutenant. The war frigate _Normandy_ has been granted by the Alliance Brass to be put under the command of Spectre and Alliance Major Kaidan Alenko as has her crew to assist him in fulfilling his duties as both a soldier and as a Spectre."

Elissa stood straight up, looked around the room her eyes lingering on Kaidan who had moved closer to the door, she had a feeling that as soon as she and Joker were taken into custody he was going to storm the _Normandy_.

"You will now be taken into custody and taken to the Intergalactic Prison," said the Turian Councilor, resulting in more outcries by the generals. The C-Sec officers that had been standing on the platform swarmed around them, guns pointed at them though it was unnecessary, and several of them grabbed Elissa and Joker by the arms and shoulders to restrain them.

The officers that grabbed Joker purposefully applied enough pressure to cause him to yell out, "Watch the arms!"

Elissa looked over as she was being dragged away and saw what they were doing, enraged that they were deliberately trying to hurt him, "Ease up on the pressure, you bastards, you could kill him!"

One of the soldiers just smiled at Elissa as he started to bend Joker's arm the wrong way, bringing him to his knees from the pain and Elissa began to fight against the men who were trying to drag her away, "Either treat him right or I'll kick your ass!"

The guards just laughed as they pressed harder on his arms and shoulders, and she saw the pain it was causing him, when she saw a point of leverage she took it and broke free of their grasp, running to Joker's aid. When she was less than three feet from the nearest guard she gave him a roundhouse kick straight to the jaw, knocking the one officer right on his back, then she moved to the other guard and kneed him in the chest, using the momentum to throw him backwards against the railing. The guards that had originally held Elissa were now returning to seize her once again but she stood there, her arms held up, ready to defend herself. Joker was still laying on the floor wracked with pain from his now broken arm though he had been quick to set it the best he could despite the immense pain.

"Come one step closer, and your ass is mine," snarled Elissa, and she carefully turned to Joker, making sure that none of the guards were going to jump her the moment her back was turned. Lowering herself, she helped Joker up to the standing position being careful not to move his arm as the stood, her arms wrapped protectively around his shoulders. She then looked at the remaining guards, "You are going to escort us, if you touch either of us, it will not end well for any of you."

The guards nodded, and formed a small circle around Joker and Elissa, then they started to walk out of the Council Chamber Elissa making sure that they went at a pace Joker could handle to not jar his arm further. They made it outside of the Tower and with the circle of guards surrounding them, the press was unable to reach them though that did not stop them from shouting out questions and requests for an exclusive. When they arrived at the shuttle, Elissa helped Joker in then jumped in herself with the guards following her inside, she sat down next to her pilot feeling horrible for putting him in this situation.

"Jeff, please forgive me," said Elissa quietly as the shuttle took off, "I didn't mean for this to happen, I wish I could change this."

Joker looked at her, his eyes showing no signs of anger or rage, "Elissa, I wish I could do the same, neither one of us deserves this but I'm glad I get to go through it with you."

"That's the only blessing in this whole situation," said Elissa as she leaned her head on his shoulder and he carefully wrapped his good arm around her shoulders. They sat there in silence, listening to the humming of the shuttle as they flew along closer and closer to the prison where an uncertain future awaited them.


	14. When You're Gone

Three weeks. It had been three weeks since she left the _Normandy_, since she had been found guilty of false charges, since she had been locked away in the Citadel's prison with only her hour of exercise to look forward to each day. In those three weeks she had been interviewed by Emily Wong a couple of times, spoken to by several members of the Alliance brass that had made the journey to the Citadel to voice their outrage at her incarceration, and she had been visited a few times by Kasumi which was whom she was expecting to see right now.

Elissa was laying down on her bed, looking up at the smooth ceiling thinking about all that had happened in the three weeks since her arrest, mostly about how relieved she was that Joker had been able to see a doctor about his arm immediately. She had insisted on staying with him the entire time he was there in the clinic, saying that she wanted to make sure that no further harm came to him by the guards. Shortly after his arm had been put in a cast, they were whisked away to their respective cells, and she had only seen him two or three more times since then when their exercise hours had aligned. The last time she saw him he was still in the cast though he said his arm was getting stronger, and he told her he was being allowed to have physical therapy, C-Sec officers apparently did not want him to have anymore broken bones on their hands so they let him get any health treatment he wanted. There had also been no word on where Hackett was, she had asked Kasumi every time she visited if they had heard anything about him, so far there was nothing not even Liara knew where he was.

"Shep," whispered Kasumi, and Elissa sat straight up, " is the coast clear?"

"Yeah," said Elissa quietly, "the cameras have been greased as well."

"Thank God," said Kasumi as she uncloaked herself, and made her way to the bed, "Are you sure you wouldn't just have me stay invisible? It might make things easier for you."

"Or just make me look crazy," said Elissa, "The Council already thinks I am, why give them actual proof?"

"Good point," said Kasumi as she sat down on the bed, "Anything from the brass?"

"Not since your last visit," sighed Elissa, "They all spoke to me about how much of an outrage my dismissal from service was and how the Council and the other generals had no right to remove me without speaking to them first, now not a damn peep."

"The Council's been intercepting their messages to you," said Kasumi bitterly, "Liara's been monitoring what comes to you, mostly data pads with messages from supporters, we all figure that the Council is trying to break your spirits. I'll try to smuggle some in for you next time, give you something to read."

"Thanks, Kasumi," said Elissa, smiling for the first time in days, "So how's the _Normandy_ holding up? She still running?"

"Yep," said Kasumi happily, "Major Alenko's biotics aren't able to penetrate the kinetic shields. He tries nearly every day to pry the doors open, it's rather amusing to watch his face when he doesn't get the result he wants. We still have that bet going for how long his attempts are going to continue, so far the pool is up to five hundred credits, want to contribute?"

"I told you, Kasumi, if he keeps trying after a month then I'll give two hundred credits to the pool," said Elissa, brightly, "Any news about the crew? How are they all holding up?"

"Pretty well all things considered," said Kasumi, "They've all recovered from the shock of being locked in the _Normandy_, having EDI explain the situation was a good idea by the way, Shep. What else? Oh yeah, Garrus and Tali are starting to flirt again, I guess being locked in close quarters really brings people together. Speaking of which, how's the future Mr. Shepard?"

Elissa gave Kasumi an exasperated look, "How many times have I asked you to stop calling him that?"

"About as many times as times as you've asked me to stop calling you the future Mrs. Moreau," replied Kasumi calmly, "So how is Joker doing?"

Shepard lowered her eyes, "I don't really know, it's been days since I've seen him. Our exercise schedules don't match up, those three times they did were probably flukes, I wish I knew how he's doing."

"I'll find that out for you, Shep," said Kasumi, patting her friend on the shoulder, "When do you think you'll be released?"

Elissa sighed, "Nine years, three hundred forty-four days, not that I've been counting."

"Of course not," said Kasumi sarcastically, "By the way, our suppliers have been contributing less, they say it's bad for their business if they just give us stuff for free."

"Shit," mumbled Elissa, "Take some credits out of my private account and pay them each a flat fee of one hundred credits, that should take care of delivery and the merchandise, I've got discounts at each of those stores."

"I'll task that to Liara," said Kasumi, stretching her legs, "Is there anything you need, are they treating you right?"

"I've got a decent room, three meals a day, and guards who could give a fuck less that I'm innocent," said Elissa harshly, "there is not one human guard here who is sympathetic to me or to Joker, as far as they're concerned, we're traitors and aren't worth the credits spent keeping us locked away in comfort."

"I'll see what I can do about the guards," said Kasumi, getting angry that Elissa was being treated badly by the guards, "and I'll try to get Liara to change your schedule so you and Joker can at least talk to each other."

Elissa leaned over and hugged Kasumi tightly, "I really appreciate all that you and the crew are doing, keeping the _Normandy_ out of the hands of the Council and bringing me these reports."

"Shep, I just wish I could do more," said Kasumi as they released each other, "it really sucks seeing you here, you should be out in the galaxy, not stuck in a prison cell."

"Don't I know it," laughed Elissa softly, "it's about time for the guards to do their sweep, you should get going."

"Alright, Shep," sighed Kasumi, standing, "I'll be back same time tomorrow." Then she activated her cloaking device and was gone from sight in an instant.

Elissa sat back on her bed and sighed, even with Kasumi's visits to look forward to, this place was still hell. She was sure her friends were trying to break her out or find someway to change the ruling, she only wished they would work faster to get her and Joker out, but she knew they had their own problems to deal with. There was probably only one person in the whole galaxy that could make her feel like everything was going to be alright and he was currently in another cell unable to talk to her.

* * *

"How's she doing?" asked Joker the second Kasumi was uncloaked, he had been pacing waiting for Kasumi's arrival, getting more and more anxious the longer it seemed to take her to get there.

"She's holding in there," replied Kasumi, sitting on his bed, "I can tell she's starting to go stir crazy, she really hates being out of the loop."

"I know the feeling," sighed Joker, sitting down at the desk chair, "Is Major Asshole still trying to get onto my ship?"

"Indeed," said Kasumi, "He's there almost everyday trying to tear the doors off, we're lucky the shields are holding up, otherwise we'd all be in deep shit."

"That shouldn't happen so long as the maintenance is kept up," said Joker, relieved that he had made sure to upgrade the shields beforehand, "Have there been any problems with the _Normandy_, aside from the crazy biotic trying to tear into her hull?"

"Nothing so far," said Kasumi, "we've all been looking for the signs of distress you mentioned, it's been pretty quiet all things considered, Garrus has actually run out of things to calibrate."

Joker laughed, he could imagine how depressed Garrus was now that he had finally made everything perfectly calibrated, "Never thought that day would come."

"Neither did he, apparently," said Kasumi, grinning.

"Maybe you should go and mess them up so he has something to do with his spare time," suggested Joker, still chuckling.

"He has Tali to fill that void," said Kasumi and then she blushed when she realized how that had come out and Joker roared with laughter again.

"So Garrus and Tali, huh?" asked Joker once his laughter subsided, "I always thought they were good together."

"Yeah, they like to argue," said Kasumi, "mostly about Tali's term for a straw, not sure why, I guess it's just one of those weird couple things."

"You could say that," chuckled Joker, "I wouldn't know, straws didn't really come up between me and EDI, maybe it's a Turian-Quarian thing."

"Well, I'd rather hear them argue than hear Tali sing," remarked Kasumi, Joker gave her a confused look, "She watched this musical about a Turian and Quarian that fall in love when she was a kid, and ever since she and Garrus have been spending time together, she's been singing the songs from the movie. It's not like she's bad at singing or anything like that, she's just doing it relentlessly, and as loudly as she possibly can."

"Man, I wish I could hear that," said Joker, grinning, "sounds about as funny as when she was doing imitations of the _Normandy_'s vents."

"That now has amassed quite the following," said Kasumi, wickedly smiling, "There are videos of other people imitating her, along with a fan club, it was a stroke of brilliance when I posted that vid."

"I'll say," smirked Joker, absentmindedly playing with his dog tags.

"I thought those were taken away from you when you arrived here," said Kasumi as she watched him twist the silver chain.

"Our discharge papers still haven't gone through," replied Joker, "guess wherever Hackett is, he's managing to prevent that from happening."

"Liara still hasn't found anything on him," said Kasumi, mentally kicking herself for not telling Elissa, "It's like he completely disappeared after your psych evaluation."

"He'll be back," said Joker, firmly believing that their old friend would indeed return.

"On a happier note, I'm going to try and see if we can fix your schedules so you and Shep can see each other," said Kasumi, quietly standing up from the bed.

"Thanks, Kasumi," said Joker, also standing, "I hope you can."

"I know," said Kasumi, hugging him, "I'll see you tomorrow, keep yourself out of trouble until then."

"Will do," said Joker, laughing softly and he watched as she cloaked herself again, disappearing entirely.

He sat back down and stared out of the widow, smiling to himself as he thought about the prospect of seeing Elissa again, he missed her more now than when she had died. It had been hard to watch the woman he loved die, but at least there had been some finality to it, allowing him to grieve his loss. Now, with her just a few hundred feet away, it was even more painful since he knew where she was but was unable to touch her or speak to her and all he could do was wait which to him was the worst way to spend his time.

* * *

Elissa was surprised when she heard her door open and guard stepped through, the last time this had happened, Emily Wong had been there to interview her but it looked like there was a different silhouette behind the guard.

"You have a visitor," said the guard and he stepped out of the doorway, only to have his place filled by Major Kaidan Alenko.

Elissa jumped up from her bed, ready for a confrontation, a fight, anything at this point, "What are you doing here, Major?"

"I need to speak with you," replied Kaidan calmly, "May I sit down?"

Elissa nodded and he sat down on the desk chair, and she resumed her spot on her bed, neither of them looking away from the other. There were a few moments of tense silence before Kaidan spoke.

"How have you been doing, Ella?" asked Kaidan and Elissa clenched the blanket on her bed when he spoke his name for her.

"Just peachy, Major," said Elissa coldly, "which is probably pretty good for someone that's been stabbed in the back."

Kaidan let out an audible sigh and lowered his head, "Ella, I'm so sorry about what I did, it was stupid and foolish if I could I'd go back and change—"

"Who are you trying to fool, Kaidan?" interrupted Elissa, "You wanted to be the one in charge of the _Normandy, _as the only human Spectre and you saw me as an obstacle, so you did everything you could to remove me without getting yourself too caught up in the mess in the process."

Kaidan did not say a word and she knew she was right about his intentions.

"Ella, please, there's more I want to tell you," said Kaidan, his tone imploring her to listen, "it's kind of a confession."

"I'm not a priest," said Elissa, crossing her arms.

"True, but you deserve to hear this anyway," said Kaidan resting his hands on his thighs, "I'm really not sure how I want to start this."

"Kaidan, just tell me," sighed Elissa, getting more and more annoyed at him the longer he sat there looking at her.

"Alright then," said Kaidan taking a deep breath before he started, "Do you remember when I told you that I went out with a doctor for drinks after you died?"

Elissa nodded, already not liking where this conversation was headed.

"Well," said Kaidan, rubbing his neck nervously, "I wasn't being entirely honest about her identity, she was a doctor but it was Rahna, the girl from Jump Zero."

Elissa stared at him in shock, this was indeed news to her, since she had been told that Rahna hated him after what happened at BAaT when he killed their instructor.

"She told me that she had finally forgiven me for what had happened at Jump Zero," said Kaidan, "She said that looking back, although it was the wrong way to do it, she could understand why I reacted like I did. We started to see each other more after that night, eventually she moved in with me, I thought my life was finally going somewhere."

Elissa wanted to hit him as hard as she could, what she was hearing was unbelievable.

"We were going to get married, she found out that she was pregnant so we wanted to be a proper family for our child," said Kaidan, his voice getting thick with emotion, "we had a name picked out and everything, then one day, Rahna came back from a doctor's appointment and told me that the baby died in the womb. I felt like my world had been turned upside down, I was there for her when she had to deliver the dead baby, he was seven months gestation when she had him and then we buried him. After that, we kind of started to fall apart, she was thoroughly depressed as was I and neither of us knew how to help the other so when I got the offer to go to Horizon I jumped on it. I just wanted to get away from the grief and the pain, feel useful again, distract myself and Rahna understood so we ended our relationship."

"Then you ran into me on Horizon," spat Elissa bitterly.

"Yeah," said Kaidan quietly, "I did, and I felt that the universe was giving me a second chance, but I was just so upset that you were with Cerberus that I nearly screwed that up."

"Why are you telling me any of this, Kaidan?" asked Elissa trying not to jump across the room and kick his ass.

"I thought you deserved to know the whole truth," confessed Kaidan, "that I ran to you to feel like I used to before the baby died and Rahna fell apart, I'm sorry I used you like that, Ella."

"Have you spoken to Rahna since the war ended?" asked Elissa, not satisfied that he was telling her everything.

"Yeah," said Kaidan quietly, "she told me that she had gotten help and was able to work through the baby's death, then she said that even though we had ended, she wanted to give our relationship another try."

"She told you this while you were with me?" asked Elissa, defensively, "Did she know that you were already seeing someone?"

"Yeah she did," said Kaidan, "I think she sent out that message just to let me know what was going on with her and that she still loved me, and I had to admit to myself that I still loved her as well. When I looked at my relationship with you, I felt like there was something missing, something that I had with Rahna so I started looking for ways to end our relationship."

"Kaidan, you proposed!" shouted Elissa, now on her feet, "If you hadn't wanted to be with me, why did you ask me to spend the rest of my life with you?!"

"I don't know!" shouted Kaidan, now standing himself, "I guess I liked the idea of being with you, liked the status and notoriety that came with you. I knew I could never get the same respect as you on my own, so I thought that making you my wife would automatically give me what I deserve!"

"So I was just some kind of status symbol to you?!" exclaimed Elissa, "I was nothing more than a stepping stone for you, some kind of trophy, is that what you're telling me? So Rahna is your true love but you denied yourself that happiness so you could get the respect and admiration you thought you deserved by being with me? Can you possibly get any dumber, Kaidan, is that possible?"

"I also came to ask you to command EDI to unlock the _Normandy_ for me," said Kaidan firmly, trying to sound like the leader he was not.

"And it is possible," said Elissa, "No Kaidan, I'm not going to do anything for you, you're just going to have to figure out how to get into your own damn ship yourself. How can you earn any respect if you run back to your former commander asking for help? That certainly wouldn't look good for your reputation, now would it?"

Kaidan glared at her, she did not care, the faster he got out of there the better she would feel.

"Answer me one thing though," said Elissa, "Why were you jealous of Joker when you were just using me in the first place? Were you worried that you were going to lose your status symbol to someone else who might have actually cared about me?"

"Partly," sighed Kaidan, "I really did care about you, Ella, and I didn't want anyone else to have you even though I was using you for my own gains. It's really complicated and stupid and I'm sorry that I hurt you."

"No you're not, but you will be," said Elissa, "Is that all or are you going to tell me something else that will make me question the intentions of men all over the galaxy?"

"No, I'm done," said Kaidan moving to the door, "I hope this works out for you, Shepard, I really do."

"Stop lying, Major, it's very unbecoming," said Elissa, smirking at him as the guard opened the door for him and then he was gone. She threw herself back on her bed and cried, she felt so incredibly stupid for having given him her heart, for thinking that he actually loved her, not seeing his actual intentions. All she wanted right now was someone to comfort her, tell her that she was worth something more than just some kind of icon to be worshipped, that she could be loved as a person and not as a persona. Right then, sitting in her small cell, she wondered if she really was a person and had not morphed entirely into the untouchable Commander Shepard, that underneath it all she was still a woman with the same desires as any other woman to be loved and protected by someone.


	15. I Won't Give Up

Joker looked around the yard, he was patiently waiting for Elissa to make her appearance though he was still having doubts about whether or not Liara had been able to change their exercise hours to lining up. When Kasumi had told him three days ago that Liara had hacked the prison's time schedule and changed the times of three of their exercise hours that week, he had wanted to believe that he would see Elissa but decided that he would not fully trust what Liara had done until he saw Elissa. He heard the door behind him open and his heart beat faster, the footsteps that were moving towards him sounded familiar though he did not want to look around and be disappointed if it turned out to just be his imagination playing tricks on him. Then he felt two arms wrap around his shoulders and neck from behind, gently embracing him and he felt a wave of relief wash over him, he knew she was there and that Liara had come through.

He placed his hands on her arms and looked up at her, "I missed you, Ellie."

Elissa looked down at him and smiled through the tears, "I missed you, too, Jeff." She leaned down and pressed her forehead against his, despite the odd angle, it felt so reassuring to finally be able to touch him after being separated for nearly a month.

"Why don't you sit next to me?" asked Joker, patting the spot next to him on the bench he had been sitting on while waiting for her, and she pulled herself away from him then sat down where he had indicated.

"How've you been? Are the guards treating you right? What about your physical—" started Elissa only to be cut off by a soft kiss from Joker, the kiss took her by surprise but she felt herself kissing him back and enjoying to pure bliss.

Joker reluctantly broke the seal a few seconds later, "Sorry, but that's the best way I've found to calm you down you were talking a mile a minute, Ellie, it had to be done."

"I know," sighed Elissa, resting her head on Joker's shoulder, "Okay, first question, are the guards treating you right?"

"For the most part," said Joker, wrapping his arm around her shoulders, "Oakley's part of my guard, God I hate that son of a bitch."

Elissa chuckled quietly, "Steve could definitely do a lot better."

"What about you?" asked Joker, pulling her closer, "Anything happen that Kasumi hasn't told me about? Guards trying to beat the crap out of you, anything?"

"Kaidan stopped by," said Elissa bitterly, and she felt Joker tense up, "he told me some things I think I could have gone the rest of my life not knowing."

"You going to tell me?" asked Joker, looking at her.

"He only wanted to be with me to gain status," said Elissa, "that's all I was to him, a symbol of power and prestige, he didn't even really love me, he loved Rahna."

"Who's that?" asked Joker, never having heard the story of Kaidan and Rahna.

"A girl Kaidan was in love with when he was at some biotics training program as a teenager," said Elissa, giving Joker the short version, "Anyway, apparently the doctor he told me he went out with when I died turned out to be her and they were going to get married since she was pregnant. The baby died and then they broke up, he ran away to Horizon and we all know where it went from there."

"He told you all that?" asked Joker, angry that Kaidan had decided to kick her while she was down, "What was the point?"

"He wanted me to know," said Elissa, sitting up, "I think I could have gone an Asari lifetime without knowing any of that."

"Damn, Elissa," said Joker, not really knowing what to say to her, "I'm so sorry."

"I'll be fine," said Elissa, firmly, "Just makes me think whether or not I'll actually find someone who'll love me for me and not what I've done or what my rank is."

Joker was pissed, he could not believe what he was hearing, after all that had happened she still thought of him as nothing more than a friend, "For Christ's sake, Elissa, what about us?!"

"What do you mean 'us'?" asked Elissa, surprised and startled.

"What did it mean to you when we kissed, that I was just some kind of comfort, that I wasn't really worth anything to you?!" exclaimed Joker, standing up, his body shaking with rage.

"Jeff, please—" started Elissa, tears brimming in her eyes, she could see the pain in his face and it crushed her that she had been so stupid and hurt him.

"No, Shepard!" shouted Joker, "Believe it or not, you're worth the whole fucking galaxy to me! You don't think that's true, here look at this!" He yanked his dog tags off and threw them at her, then he stormed off, not even caring that they still had forty-five minutes left to talk he just wanted to be away from her.

* * *

Elissa watched him go, she wanted to chase after him but she seemed to be glued to the bench, the dog tags still clutched in her hands and she looked down at them only after he had gone back into the prison. She carefully moved them from hand to hand, not really reading anything she saw on the pieces of metal until her name caught her eye, looking more closely she realized that this was one of her old dog tags there were small chips all around the edges but the information was still intact:

Shepard

Elissa J.

04-11-2154

A Neg

Nondenominational

She stifled a sob, she had had no idea that Joker was carrying this around with him, she felt horrible that she had said what she did to him, since having this proved he really did care about her. Elissa wanted to ask Joker why he had her tag and how he got it in the first place, but first there was something she had to do first, she had to find someway to apologize to him and explain why she was acting the way she was. Quickly she pulled off her own dog tags and removed one of Joker's from his chain putting it with her own set, _'There, that's much better,'_ thought Elissa as she put her dog tags back on, hiding them under her shirt. Then she jumped up and ran inside the prison, hoping to make it to see Joker before the guards came back to put her in her cell again, luckily his cell was not too far from the door that led to the outside yard and she managed to get there with very little difficulty.

Looking in through the small window on the door, she saw Joker laying on his bed, cap over his eyes and she quietly opened the door being very careful to not disturb him and she crept over to his bed, sitting down on the end. Elissa was not sure how he would react when he saw her, she expected more angry outbursts and she knew she deserved every single one of them since she had deeply hurt him with what she said. She looked at the clock, they had a little more than half an hour before she would be forced back to her own cell, she knew she had to make the best of these few minutes and waiting for him to wake up was not something she planned to do right now.

"Jeff, Jeff," said Elissa, gently shaking his leg, "wake up, Jeff, I need to talk to you."

Joker looked out from under the bill of his cap, he could see her sitting there but he really did not want to talk at the moment, so he just laid there pretending to be asleep.

"I know you're not really sleeping, Jeff," said Elissa, slightly annoyed, "Should I kiss you to wake you up?"

"Not necessary, Commander," said Joker, putting his cap back on his head, then sitting up careful not to hit her with his legs as he switched positions.

"Jeff," said Elissa, putting her hand on his shoulder, half expecting him to shrug her off, she was grateful though when he let her hand stay there, "I wanted to ask you, how did you get my dog tag?"

"Liara gave it to me," said Joker quietly, "After you died, I begged her to find me anything that was yours, I thought if I had something of yours I would be able to get over my grief. It wasn't until months later when you were being rebuilt by Cerberus that she even found your tags, then she gave one to me and I've worn it with mine ever since."

"I guess you also answered my question of why you had one in the first place," said Elissa, handing him his tags back.

"That was only part the reason," admitted Joker, putting his tags back on, "I also wanted to have something to remember you by, I know, they say someone always lives on in your memories but I wanted something a little more tangible. I was so jealous of Kaidan I mean he at least had a picture of you, and I wanted something to remember you too, anything at all, I would have even settled for a piece of your scorched armor." His voice became thick with emotion, he tried not to think about the years after Elissa had died, they were way too painful to relive.

Elissa wrapped her arms around him, she had been aware that her death had hit everyone pretty hard but seeing what lengths Joker had gone to just to keep her memory alive was just astounding since she had doubted for a very long time that he cared for her as much as he really did.

"Jeff, I had no idea," said Elissa, still holding him close, "Why didn't you tell me about all of this, about the tags, about any of it?"

"I didn't think it would matter since you're now alive," said Joker his arm now snaking around her waist, "Ellie, the day you woke up was the day I decided everything would go back to normal. I tried my best to not bring up the past, I wanted you to move on and live life, not keep dwelling on what had happened. I thought that was my penance for killing you in the first place, to make you feel as if nothing had changed."

"Jeff, you didn't kill me," said Elissa seriously, pulling his face up so she could look at him, "I was doing my job and you were doing yours, you saved our crew by staying where you were, giving them enough time to get into the escape pods. I don't ever want to hear you blame yourself for my death again, if I do, there will be severe repercussions."

"And what would those be, Commander?" asked Joker, smirking at her.

"Lets just say it involves whipped cream, cherries, and your chair," said Elissa, her eyes gleaming wickedly as she watched Joker turn red and she could tell that all thought had disappeared clean from his head. She giggled as he laid back down, covering his face and groaning behind his hands and she laid down next to him, wrapping her arm around his torso.

"Ellie, I know that we'll have to have a serious talk, but can that wait until tomorrow?" asked Joker as he wrapped his arms around her, "I kind of just want this moment to last as long as it can, then if you reject me, I'll have this to look back on so I win in either circumstance."

Elissa rolled her eyes playfully, "Sure, Jeff, I just hope the guards don't mind seeing us in this position they might not let us see each other."

"Then I would have to bust out of here," said Joker holding her tighter, "because I don't want to be separated from you again as long as I can help it."

Elissa smiled as she felt the desire to sleep overcome her, though she knew that they would have to talk about what their feelings were and how they wanted to proceed which could go badly, she slept soundly for the first time since her arrival to the prison happy that she was in the comfort of someone she trusted with her very life.

* * *

Elissa waited next to the door that led to the exercise yard, she was both excited and a little apprehensive about seeing Joker, it had been two days since they had last seen each other and they had not had a chance to talk since then though they had used Kasumi once to send a message to the other. She saw Joker coming out of his cell and felt her heart leap in her chest, even with just the short month of physical therapy his posture had improved and even his limp was better.

"Hey, Ellie," said Joker as the guard unlocked the door and allowed them into the yard, he took her by the hand and led her out of the prison and into the freshly recycled air.

"I hate this being a part bull," sighed Elissa as they sat down on the bench, still holding hands.

"I know how you feel, you'd think we were planning an escape," said Joker smirking.

"Maybe we should, at least we'd have something to do," said Elissa, looking up at the shuttles that drove by overhead.

They sat on the bench in peace, watching the shuttles fly over, Joker pointing out the mistakes the various drivers were making eliciting the occasional laugh from Elissa and she would ask him how to avoid making those mistakes in the future. Both seemed nervous to start the inevitable conversation, they knew it was going to have to happen sooner or later, so Joker cleared his throat prepared to take the leap, "So, Ellie, have you given any thought to maybe being more than just friends?"

Elissa looked at him, his eyes green in the light, "I've actually been thinking about it longer than just two days, Jeff, I've been thinking about it for nearly three years."

Joker's eyes widened, he was surprised to hear that she had thought of being with him since they had started working together on the _Normandy_, he was also upset that she had not acted on her feelings, "Why'd you wait so freaking long, Ellie?"

"Well, you stated several times that dating crew members wasn't your thing," said Elissa in a slightly defensive tone, "and I didn't want to put you in an uncomfortable position."

"Elissa," said Joker, cupping her cheek, trying not to focus too much on how soft and warm her skin was, "There were two reasons why I said what I did, one, because of you and Kaidan, two because I didn't want you to think I was like all of the other guys on our crew who were all lusting after you."

"Jeff, I never could see you that way," said Elissa, gently pressing her forehead against his, "I have a great deal more respect for you than I have for most people and it would take a great deal of crap to happen for my perception of you to be tarnished."

"So, about what's been going on," said Joker, suddenly getting very nervous, moving his head away from hers, "What are we exactly? I mean, I know you've been a serious relationship, albeit with a jackass, but are you looking for another one or are you looking for something else? Have you thought everything through, do you need more time or—"

Elissa softly kissed him, silencing him like he had done to her, then she released her claim on his lips, "Sorry, Jeff, but you were talking a mile a minute, I had to do something. To answer your questions, yes, I have thought about this quite a bit actually. I care about you a great deal, not only are you my pilot but you are my best friend and I want you to know that the last thing I want to do is hurt you . . . " She saw him close his eyes, she worried that he had taken that the wrong way so she quickly continued, "I want to see how this turns out, having you in my life has been the best thing to ever happen, and I don't want this to be something casual or something we're doing just to not be alone."

Joker relaxed, not wanting to believe his own luck, that she actually wanted to have him around and not as something temporary in her life, "Elissa, the last thing I want in this lifetime is to lose you for a second time, through death or to another man. I'm yours, Elissa, as long as you want me and even when you don't."

Elissa smiled, in this moment right now she thought of nothing but being with him, she did not think of the prison cells or the fact they only had an hour every few days to talk with each other none of that mattered to her only he did.

"How do you suggest we make this official?" asked Joker, playing with a few loose strands of her hair, he was not being serious but thought it was appropriate to say.

"I kind of already have," said Elissa, pulling her dog tags from underneath her shirt, showing him that she had taken one of his and put it with hers.

"Wow, Ellie," said Joker, looking at her addition to her chain, "You know I wasn't being serious at all about finding a way to make us official?"

"I know, I just couldn't resist," said Elissa brightly, as she put her dog tags back into her shirt, looking at him, getting lost in his gorgeous eyes.

_'God, if this is a dream, don't let me wake up,'_ thought Joker, leaning in closer to Elissa, the space between their lips getting smaller until he claimed her lips in a tender embrace. He felt himself filled with the blissful euphoria, forgetting everything else except how Elissa's lips felt against his, the taste of her mouth as his tongue slid in, the way their tongues danced together.

"Shepard! Moreau!" shouted a familiar voice, causing them to jump apart, Joker looked around wildly and saw Armando Bailey standing on the other side of the yard, a serious look on his face.

"What do you think he wants?" asked Joker as they stood and started walking towards Bailey, her hand gripped in his.

"There's only one way to find out," said Elissa and they met him at the door and he indicated to them to follow him to the side of the yard, away from the door.

"Is there something you need, Bailey?" asked Elissa in hushed tone.

"No, Shepard," said Bailey, throwing Edward a look that told him to stay back, "I've received a message from Admiral Hackett, neither of you is safe here, we're busting you out."


	16. Jailbreak

**A/N: Wow! This is the longest chapter I have written to date, hope you all like it, I wrote it especially for you. Thanks for all of the support, you guys are amazing!**

* * *

"What's going on, Bailey?" asked Joker in a quiet voice, watching as Edward went back into the prison, "What did Hackett say?"

"There wasn't too much," said Bailey, facing away from the cameras, gesturing to Elissa and Joker to do the same, "His message was cryptic but I gathered enough to determine that you two were in danger, something about Cerberus being part of it, either way be wants you both out of here."

"Has there been mention of a plan?" asked Elissa, crossing her arms, "I'm sure Hackett wouldn't say something like that without having some sort of way to execute it."

"He said to 'wait for the thief to speak,' some jargon I'm assuming only you two would know," said Bailey giving a dismissive wave, "I'm going to help you both the best I can but there are no guarantees, no plan is flawless, not even one of Hackett's. You are just going to have to trust me on this one, which is probably hard for you to do right now, but I'm also not crazy about trusting Hackett when he's left me to fumble in the dark."

"We'll give you whatever cooperation you require," said Elissa, sounding once again like her old self, "Are we safe right now, or is something going to have to change to ensure that?"

"I'm going to be replacing the current Captain of Security in this branch of C-Sec so I can watch over you," said Bailey, "I'm sure you've noticed that the Turians and some of the humans aren't too happy about having to guard you."

"No, the death glares and beatings are their way of being nice," said Joker, crossing his arms and smirking, Bailey was not smiling, "I think you being in charge will be a little better."

"Joker, we need his help," said Elissa through gritted teeth, "Mouthing off about C-Sec guards won't get us anywhere, so just stow it."

Ordinarily, he might have said something smart back but he knew that this was their one chance of getting out of here and back to the _Normandy_, so he obeyed her order and said nothing in response.

"I'll be back in tonight," said Bailey, "hopefully by then we can get this plan panned out and you two back where you belong."

"Thank you, Bailey, you have no idea what this means for us," said Elissa, shaking his hand, and Bailey gave her a rare smile.

"I don't like seeing innocent people behind bars," said Bailey, "and you two have always been good to my men and assisted me many times, it is an honor to be able to help you out in anyway I can."

"We'll keep you up to date when we learn any information," said Joker extending his hand to Bailey and he was surprised when the captain shook it.

"Good," said Bailey, "Now you two need to keep a low profile, don't do anything to bring any further attention to yourselves, and don't talk about this with anyone except me and your contact."

"Understood, Bailey," said Elissa, and Joker nodded.

"Now, I need to go speak with some of your guards," said Bailey, cracking his knuckles menacingly, "I'll let you get back to your last fifteen minutes of yard time."

They watched the captain leave the yard, both too stunned at their own good luck to really believe that had just happened.

"Ellie," said Joker, taking her hand in his, "Do you think this plan has a shot at working?"

Elissa thought about all she had been through with Bailey and Hackett, neither one had yet disappointed her in a promise, hell Bailey had even assisted in getting Kolyat Krios away from the life of crime he was embarking on, "I think this plan will work, I don't believe that Hackett is flying blind in this, especially if he wants us to talk with Kasumi. We just have to wait, and pray that this doesn't blow up in our faces."

"I'm not one for praying," said Joker, thinking about how many times he had felt abandoned by the god his parents had tried to raise him to believe in.

"I wasn't really either until after I lost Ash," said Elissa quietly, looking up into the sky, "I didn't want to believe that she was going into some dark place, so I prayed for her, and it filled me with an inner peace. After I met Thane, and found out how spiritual he was, I spoke with him often about what might be waiting on the other side and if Ash really was in a better place. Now, I pray every night for those I've lost, not wanting any of them to be in that dark place and to be across the sea with their families."

Joker was stunned, Elissa's love for her friends ran deeper than he had thought, he had always known that she mourned their deaths but hearing that she prayed for them to have a beautiful afterlife made him realize how unique of a person she really was.

"Ellie, you are a truly spectacular woman," said Joker as they headed back inside the prison, walking hand in hand, excited and nervous about the prospect of leaving this hell forever.

* * *

Elissa released her breath as she saw the last guard leave for the night, she knew that there were still guards less than thirty feet away in the glass booth outside of their section but there was some relief to know they were not standing just beyond her door. She had been expecting Kasumi's arrival ever since she and Joker had gotten back from their exercise hour and so far there was nothing. There was not even a shimmer from the corner to let Elissa know that she was there it was strange for her to take so many precautions when she had done far more dangerous missions than breaking into a prison.

"Shep," said Kasumi in a gentle whisper, "Are they gone?"

"Yes," said Elissa in equal quiet, and she watched as Kasumi revealed herself, though it had only been a few days Kasumi looked as if she had not gotten any sleep or eaten much of anything since her last visit.

"I'm sorry I haven't been by lately," said Kasumi, still whispering, "I didn't want to risk anything until Bailey was informed, I'm glad Hackett was right about being able to trust him, without a man on the inside we wouldn't be able to even start scheming."

"Who's in on this plan?" asked Elissa, her mind swirling around with different possibilities and scenarios before Kasumi even spoke.

"It's a rather complicated plan, Shep," said Kasumi, "we had to bring in quite a few people to even get the information necessary, Liara for one, and me, not to mention Hackett brought in Miranda—"

"Wait, Hackett is actually working with Cerberus' former second in command?" interrupted Elissa, surprised by this news.

"Of course," said Kasumi as if it was perfectly acceptable for an Alliance admiral and a Cerberus operative to work together, "Anyway, nearly everyone on the crew is involved, there are a few surprise visitors for you when you get back as well. I can't give you all of the details, and I've already told Bailey most of it, with instructions to inform you and Joker the day before we put our plan into action so just in case it goes wrong you and Joker won't get into any further trouble."

"This must be a helluva plan if you can't even tell me," sighed Elissa furrowing her brow, "If this doesn't go as planned, I want you to get Joker out of this place, if you have the choice to choose me or him I want you to pick him."

"Shep, that's not necessary—" started Kasumi, only to stop when she saw the seriousness in Elissa's face, and knew she had meant exactly what she was saying.

"I don't want him to be here anymore," said Elissa, thinking about how hard it would be for him if she were to abandon him to the mercy of the guards, "and if there's an out, I want him to take it, he's far more vital to the _Normandy_."

"Shep, are you even hearing yourself?" asked Kasumi, slightly outraged at what she was being told, "You and Joker are the heart and soul of the _Normandy_, without either of you she isn't truly the ship we all love and call home, come hell or high water we are going to get you both out of here and back where you belong."

Elissa chuckled warmly, she had no idea that Kasumi was such a motivational speaker, "You are extremely eloquent, Kasumi, ever consider a job in the Alliance military? We could always use some more motivational speakers."

"Nah, it would mean I have to give up being able to go invisible," said Kasumi and Elissa had to stifle a laugh.

"You'd still be a thief, huh?" asked Elissa after she had recovered.

"Are you kidding me, access to all of those high ranking officer's houses? I'd be like a kid in a candy store, I wouldn't be able to stop myself," said Kasumi, smiling.

"Oh, Kasumi, I'm so glad you're on my side," said Elissa, patting Kasumi on the back, trying not to dwell too much on the lacking details of the escape plan.

"Shep, I know these aren't the best circumstances," said Kasumi, her demeanor becoming sympathetic, "but you have to trust that we're doing everything we can to get you out of here and that we have a reason for not telling you everything."

"I know you do, Kasumi," said Elissa wearily, "I'm just glad to know that you guys are working so hard to get us out, I really appreciate everything you all have been doing."

"I know, Shep, we all do," said Kasumi, standing, "Now, I have to go before James realizes I'm missing, ever since you made him your replacement he runs a tight ship especially when it comes to me. He wants me back on the ship before midnight which is sometimes difficult to abide by since the best places to break into are only the best at midnight."

"He just wants you safe, Kasumi, you're a valuable friend and ally," said Elissa, standing and embracing her friend, grateful for all of the work she and the rest had been doing.

"So are you, Shep," said Kasumi, fighting back tears, "Remember, you still owe me a visit to my Nottingham, to check on my refugees."

"Of course, Robin Hood," said Elissa and she watched Kasumi disappear, hardly making a sound and somehow she knew she was gone.

Elissa laid down on her bed, trying to process all that had happened in these past few hours, not only did was there the prospect of escaping from this hellhole and getting back to the _Normandy_ but she also had a second chance at what should have been her first love. She had spent most of her time locked up thinking about Joker, wondering how it would be to be held in his arms, longing for the feel of his lips on hers and imagining how they would feel on the more intimate parts of her form, and how it would be to have him by her side. That last thought always felt the most right, that he was always meant to be by her side as her pilot, as her friend, as more than her friend. Elissa smiled to herself as her eyes became heavy, sleep enveloping her though she imagined that it was Joker's arms that were.

* * *

The lock on the door clicked. Elissa felt herself wake up though her eyes did not snap open, instead she peered out between her eyelashes at the door, _'No one is supposed to be here'_ and she saw the door open. There was a dark figure standing in the doorway, and by the outline of the armor she knew it was a guard though she could not see his hands which startled her the most, she rolled over and opened her eyes all of the way. She listened as the guard sighed heavily, obviously her turning over was not part of the plan, and heard his footsteps getting closer and closer to the bed and when she saw his shadow on her wall she jumped up off the bed.

This move obviously surprised the guard as he stumbled backwards slightly and that was all the room Elissa needed, she thrusted the palm of her hand upwards with as much force as she could muster, making contact with his nose and she heard the bones crack and felt the warmth of the blood that had erupted on her hand. She knew she had killed him when his body tumbled to the ground, the door was still open and her first thought was of Joker, and she bolted out of her cell and ran down the hall hoping that she was not too late. Elissa got to his cell and looked into the window, seeing a similar shadow and she rushed in yelling, surprising this second guard whom she grabbed by the arm and using the momentum she smashed his head against the wall. She kept smashing the guard's head against the wall, until she was certain her was dead, and only then did she turn around to face Joker whom was sitting up bewildered.

"What the fuck was that, Ellie?" asked Joker, standing up, trying to shake the tired feeling.

"They were sent here to kill us," said Elissa, panting, she saw what was meant to be the murder weapon and almost laughed at the simple rubber cord that was supposed to be used to strangle them, she left it where it was hoping there was still DNA on it from the guard.

Bailey came running in, his eyes scanning the room, lingering on the dead man in the room and the blood splattered all over Elissa, "I saw them come in here and followed them, I guess I was almost too late, quick thinking on your part, Shepard."

Elissa was shaking as her body started to come off the adrenaline high, she had thought that the danger would not emerge for sometime but she had obviously thought wrong, "Bailey, were these men who worked at C-Sec?"

"He just started working here a couple of days ago," said Bailey as he examined the face of the guard on the floor, "I'll check the one in your cell but I'm pretty sure he had just started here as well."

"That's it," said Elissa, angrily, "Joker and I need to get out of here, how long before they send someone else to finish the job? Bailey, you need to contact Liara T'Soni or Kasumi Goto and inform them of what's happened here, tell them whatever they're planning needs to get started yesterday."

"Of course, Shepard," said Bailey and he looked down at the rubber cord, and chuckled, "They actually thought they could stop you with this simple piece of rubber?"

"Amateurs," smirked Joker, trying to remain calm, "it's almost an insult, Ellie, that these morons thought this small and unimpressive murder weapon was enough to take you out."

Elissa smiled as Bailey left, after the door was closed she rushed to Joker, throwing her arms around him trying not to squeeze, "I thought you were dead, I thought I wouldn't make it in time, oh God, I'm just glad you're alright."

Joker kissed the top of her head, his arms gripping her tightly against him, he had thought for sure they were both goners now he was just thrilled to have her in his arms again, "I knew you'd save my ass, Ellie, you have a very large debt to repay for the number of times I've saved yours."

Elissa looked up at him, smirking with an eyebrow raised, "You're terrible."

"You love it," said Joker chuckling as he pecked her lips, holding her tighter against his chest, he could not believe he had come so close to losing her again and this time it was an assassination attempt.

"You're right," said Elissa, reveling in the warmth of his body, resting her head on his shoulder, "I'm not all that eager to get back to my cell, there's a dead guy in there."

"And there's one in here," said Joker, looking at the body, "Should we ask Bailey for a set of new cells?"

"Sure," said Elissa, "but for tonight, I'd feel a lot better sleeping in the same room as you."

Joker felt his heart skip a beat, she wanted to sleep in a bed with him, that was rather unexpected, "I guess there's no harm in asking, hell, maybe we could get a cell together until we're free."

"I can get you each a new cell but I can't allow you to sleep in the same room," said Bailey, eliciting a disappointed sigh from both Joker and Elissa, "Shepard, I sent a message to your friend, she agrees that we need to get you two out of here asap. She's given me permission to inform you of the plan and it'll go down tomorrow, so as soon as you two are in your temporary cell I'll tell you, follow me."

Elissa and Joker reluctantly followed Bailey to a new set of cells, holding hands the entire walk, both excited and extremely nervous that they were going to try and get out of the prison in the morning. The cells they had been given were the same as before, even their clothes were in there, Bailey had been kind enough to bring them each a bag to pack their clothes and toiletries so they would not have to rush to do that in the morning. They sat down on the bed and Bailey sat at the desk, they looked at each other and knew it was time to prepare for what would probably be one of their most dangerous missions.

* * *

With trembling hands she changed her clothes, she discarded her usual attire for the uniform of a prisoner, it was a simple jumpsuit of nearly blinding red and then she put on the slip on shoes her hair was pulled into a sloppy ponytail. She had smeared some dirt and oil on her face and in her hair so she would look like she had not been given the luxury of a shower also partly to make her look unrecognizable. Looking down at her body she could feel her skin crawling, even though it was part of the plan, being in the actual uniform made her think if this went wrong she could end up in this forever. Up until now, she and Joker had been separated from the general population of the prison, being held in a private section with certain privileges such as wearing her own clothes and now she was facing the possibility that if she was caught she would end up there.

"Here goes everything," said Elissa as she gathered up her things and left her cell, Bailey had insisted that there no longer needed to be such a heavy guard, that he was enough and the other guards had been more than willing to leave their post of guarding Elissa and Joker. Stepping out, she saw Bailey and another guard waiting with Joker, who was also wearing the standard issue red jumpsuit though he did not seem as tense as she did he even looked good covered in dirt and oil as well.

"Red looks good on you," said Joker winking at her, and she smiled then she looked over at the hulking guard and frowned.

"I thought it was only going to be you, Bailey," said Elissa, balling her fist, ready for a fight.

"Easy does it, Lola," said James Vega, lifting his visor so she could see his face, "It's just me, no need to go all Asari commando on my ass."

Elissa wanted to jump for joy, it had been so long since she had seen anyone from her crew besides Kasumi, "I promise I won't, I just didn't expect you here."

"I had to leave a few details out," said Bailey, throwing James an angry look, "He was supposed to stay in character but I guess the threat of Commander Shepard pounding his ass was a just reason to reveal himself."

"I heard what you did to those other guards, I'm not very eager to join them," said James putting his visor back in place, "You two ready?"

"I'd follow you to hell, James," said Elissa as she and Joker fell into line behind Bailey, and James stood behind him as the rear guard.

Silently they walked out of their section of the prison, Elissa expecting resistance at every check point, but it seemed like no one was really paying any attention to a group of human prisoners being escorted out of the prison. They entered bridge that overlooked the common area, they heard shouts and clamor, it seemed to be the free hour for these prisoners and they were going crazy all over the place. Elissa looked down through the window, the only way to get a decent view of what was happening without being there, she saw several of the prisoners beating the crap out a few of the other ones and the guards were even getting in on it. Her blood boiled, this was injustice at its finest, the ones that were supposed to be protecting these unarmed and helpless people were participating in their agony.

James walked up beside her and rested a hand on her shoulder, "Let it go, Lola, this place is beyond even your help."

Elissa nodded curtly, she was sure she could help but she could only do that if she got out first, and she fell back in line with Joker and they continued to walk on the bridge and came out on the other side now entering the out processing center. She could see the exit doors just beyond the scanners and the few guards that were standing around with data pads, checking the prisoners onto the shuttles that would take them away. Her heart was pounding in her chest as Bailey handed over the data pad that had the forged information on it, Liara and Tali had hacked the prison's databases and found two humans that were scheduled to be taken from the Citadel to Earth and had changed the names so it was she and Joker who were supposed to be departing on that shuttle.

"The fewer humans in this place the better I feel," said the Turian guard as he looked at Bailey with contempt, not even really reading the data pad, "Move along." They walked through the kinetic barriers, now in the entry way of the building, less than fifty feet away from the shuttle port.

Elissa could hardly believe their luck, no gunfire or need for violence, they were simply going to walk out of here without causing any trouble.

"Wait just a moment, Lieutenant," called a familiar voice, and Elissa cringed, it was Edward Oakley.

_'Shit, this just got complicated,'_ thought Elissa as she watched Edward strut up to them with several armed guards behind him.

"What's the meaning of this, Oakley?" asked the Turian obviously angered that a human had questioned his judgement.

"These aren't the humans who are supposed to be going to Earth," said Edward, glaring at Elissa and Joker, "These two are supposed to be in the political prisoners wing, this is Commander Shepard and her crippled pilot."

"Well shit," said James stepping in front of Elissa and Joker with Bailey, pulling his assault rifle from behind his back, aiming at Edward, "and here I thought Esteban had found a decent guy after all."

"You still don't know who I am, do you?" asked Edward as the other guards took aim at the four of them.

"Should we?" asked Elissa, she could see that their inability to recognize him had hurt his ego and she smiled.

"You killed my sister, you bitch!" shouted Edward, obviously having taken the comment to heart and he pulled out his own pistol.

"I've killed a lot of people, refresh my memory," said Elissa as she felt Bailey hand her a pistol and she kept it hidden behind her back.

"Maya Brooks!" shouted Edward as his gun began to quiver, Elissa could see even from this distance that his targeting was off, "You killed my little sister in cold blood!"

"I did no such thing!" shouted Elissa, quietly cocking the gun, "I gave your sister the chance to redeem herself, and she was the one who chose to not take it, besides I wasn't the triggerman that was someone else."

"Like I give a shit who actually did it," said Edward, his arm shaking even more, "All I care about is getting the person who put my sister in the situation to be killed."

"Well that would have been the Illusive Man and I already took care of him," said Elissa, now aiming the gun at Edward's head.

"It was you just the same!" shouted Edward, "If they hadn't have cloned you then she would not have betrayed anyone and not have died!"

"He's just going to keep rationalizing it as your fault, Shepard," whispered Bailey, and Elissa knew he was right.

"This doesn't have to end in a blood bath," said Elissa, "Do you really think your sister would have wanted her brother to become a murderer?"

"No," said Edward, starting to point his gun away from Elissa, "but she would want me to avenge her!" His pistol came up and fired, Elissa ducked, barely missing the bullet as it hit the wall behind her.

"Run for it!" shouted Elissa as she and James started firing at the guards and Edward as Joker and Bailey ran for the shuttle that was supposed to take them back to the _Normandy_.

Joker could hear the gunfire as he got into the shuttle and grabbed the assault rifle sitting beside the door and started firing at the guards with Bailey, giving Elissa and James some cover fire as they hopped into the shuttle and sped off towards the docks.

"What the hell was that?" asked Joker, sitting down, "I knew Oakley was a bastard but the brother of Maya Brooks?"

"You make more enemies with every one you destroy, Lola," said James as he removed his visor and sat down on the bench beside Joker.

"How are we going to break it to Steve that his boyfriend is a crazy, murderous SOB?" asked Joker, looking at Elissa.

"I think you already did, Joker," said the pilot, turning around and revealing himself to be Steve in disguise as a C-Sec pilot.

"Steve!" exclaimed Elissa and she embraced him as best as she could with her gun in hand, "I'm so sorry about all of this, and especially about Edward, if I had known—"

"You would have tried to keep me away from him, I know, Elissa," said Steve calmly, "I figured he was up to something when he started asking questions about your trial when it had yet to be released to the public."

"Still, sucks to find out that someone you thought you could trust is related to one of the most notorious traitors known to the Alliance," said Joker.

"Thanks, Joker," said Steve, shaking his head, "Anyway, we should be arriving at the _Normandy_ in a matter of minutes, hopefully Major Alenko has finished up his daily visit with the kinetic barriers."

"That's one determined man," said Bailey as he reloaded his own gun.

"To his own detriment," said James, chuckling, "I think he's under pressure to secure the _Normandy_, he seems more desperate in his attempts to get in, going to far as to try and get a hacker to hack into EDI's systems and gain control that way."

"It didn't work, did it?" asked Elissa, worried that Kaidan would be waiting there when she arrived or that EDI had been compromised.

"Of course not," said James, "EDI's had some upgrades since her run in with your clone and that basic Alliance hacker was nothing compared to her, she actually spammed him with a few terabytes of Krogan pornography, his face was priceless!"

"I didn't realize you had Krogan porn in your private stash, Joker," said Elissa grinning as he turned bright red but he smiled back at her.

"What can I say? I appreciate all species," said Joker in a sarcastic tone, "Remind me to thank EDI for doing that, she really has a twisted sense of humor but it's effective."

"Coming up on the _Normandy_," said Steve and Elissa looked up and saw a huge well armed welcome party waiting there on the docks for them.

"C-Sec or Alliance?" asked James as he looked out of the windshield.

"Looks like Alliance," said Steve, "Guess, Alenko decided to stick around after all."

"How do you want to proceed, Commander?" asked James, looking at Elissa who was already arming her gun.

"It's risky but I have to tell EDI to drop the kinetic shields and then we get in through the cargo hold," said Elissa, "What's riskier is the only spot to get in is through those soldiers."

"Damn," sighed Joker, his legs were already starting to ache from his run earlier and now he was going to have to do the same thing, only with a lot more gunfire around him.

"I'll inform everyone to be armed and ready, when Kaidan realizes that the _Normandy_ is no longer secure I'm sure he'll make a break for it," said Elissa.

Joker winced slightly, she was still using the Major's first name even though the rest were referring to him by his rank or as Major Asshole.

"This is Commander Shepard," said Elissa, into the radio that Steve had prepped for her, now sounding like her old self, "EDI, when I say so you need to drop the barriers and release the ship from lockdown mode, everyone else, prepare for battle."

"Yes, Shepard," said EDI and Elissa was grateful for once to hear the AI's voice.

"Preparing to land, Shepard," said Steve, and Elissa nodded.

"James, I'm going to need you at my side during this," said Elissa and James nodded, charging his gun in response.

"Ellie, what should I do?" asked Joker, feeling useless.

"The priority is getting Joker on the _Normandy_," said Elissa and he went wide eyed, "He needs to be the one to get her off the Citadel, he's the only one who can, Bailey you and Steve are going to get him on. James and I will cover you."

Joker really did not like the sound of this plan, it was close enough to suicide that he worried if he'd ever see her again.

"Elissa, this is crazy, we need you too!" exclaimed Joker as they began to descend, shots already being fired at the shuttle. One had to be biotic since the whole shuttle lurched, Elissa caught Joker before he fell and broke something vital.

"Jeff, I don't need any arguments right now," said Elissa firmly, "I'll be right behind you the entire time, just get us in the sky and away from the Citadel."

"Roger that, Commander," said Joker, holding his tongue for the second time in his life, and he gripped the door as they landed between the solider and the _Normandy_, Steve opened the back door and Bailey, he and Joker all made their way out leaving James and Elissa in the shuttle.

"Now, EDI!" shouted Elissa and she heard the kinetic barriers go down, she flung open the door and started firing at the soldiers, hoping that Joker made it through and was at the helm.

* * *

"Shit, shit, shit!" shouted Joker as they neared the _Normandy_, shots barely missing him as they got to the cargo bay door.

"Open up, EDI!" shouted Steve as soldiers started to close in on them, and the door slid open, Joker and Steve quickly getting through the doorway.

"I'm going back for Shepard!" shouted Bailey as he shot at a few men, "Get this hunk of metal airborne!"

Joker watched as Bailey ran back into the thick of it all, and he closed up the door, hoping against hope that Elissa and the rest would make it through this in one piece.

"Garrus, Tali, get your assess out there and help Shepard!" shouted Steve into his ear piece, "I've got Joker, we're going to start preparing for take off."

"Roger that, Cortez," Joker heard Garrus say as they got into the elevator, Steve nearly broke the console pressing the button for the CIC and off they went, Joker could still feel the pounding of his heart as the elevator stopped.

"Go!" shouted Steve and he pushed Joker out of the elevator and pressed the elevator console again.

Samantha caught Joker and directed him towards the bridge, all he could focus on was getting there and starting up the _Normandy_, the gunfire getting too concentrated where he knew Elissa was making her stand.

Joker sat down in his chair, starting up his console and rapidly initiating the take off sequence, feeling the engines starting up as the ship came to life, "Commander, we are getting ready to leave, get your ass onto this ship, that's an order."

"Since when do you give orders?" asked Elissa, the sounds of gunfire all around her.

"Since I had to leave you behind," said Joker, "I'm unlocking the airlock doors, you and the rest of the crew need to get on it, just like when we blew up the Collector base and I saved your ass then too."

"Alright," said Elissa, and she cut out.

"EDI, what's wrong with the radio link?" asked Joker, trying to regain the connection.

"Something is blocking all communications," said EDI from the co-pilot's seat.

"Get the airlock open," said Joker, as he pulled away from the dock, "this has to be precise or we're going to lose everyone."

"Of course, Mr. Moreau," said EDI, opening her console and Joker heard the airlock starting to open.

* * *

Elissa saw the Normandy starting to pull away from the dock, she knew it was a matter of minutes before they would be ready to leave, "Everyone, get to the airlock!"

Garrus nodded as did Tali, James and Steve, they all charged from behind the shuttle, firing as they passed, hitting a few soldiers before leaping across the landing to the airlock's platform, Elissa stayed on the ground, for a few seconds giving her friends enough time to get on the ship.

"Shepard!" shouted Garrus, he was beckoning her to hurry up as the Normandy was getting higher and higher, she made a run for it not caring that there were bullets grazing past her head as she ran towards the airlock platform.

"Just a few more feet, Lisa," said Tali, urging her friend on.

Elissa nodded as she ran and when she got close enough she leapt off the landing and felt like she was moving in slow motion as her body moved in the space between the two platforms, her hands connected with the edge and she felt Garrus and James pull her up. When she stood she turned around and saw Kaidan aiming his rifle at her then he fired just as the doors started to close, and they pulled out of the docks. The doors to the ship opened and they exited the airlock, all running to the bridge, Elissa put her hand on Joker's shoulder as they flew past several large buildings and then the FTL engaged.

They were away from the Citadel in a shot arriving several lightyears away, floating safely in space, everyone started to cheer, Elissa allowed herself relax, "You did a great job, sweetheart."

"All in a day's work," said Joker and she kissed him deeply, and for a moment he felt like the galaxy was finally back in balance.

Elissa recoiled from the kiss, pain radiating from her abdomen, she put her hand where she felt the pain and when she looked down she saw blood running down her fingers.

"Shepard's been shot," she heard Garrus say, the floor beneath her giving way, everything starting to spin as she made contact with the metal. She felt her breathing slow down, hardly hearing anything except for the pounding of her heart in her ears, she saw Joker's blurry face become clear for a second, his eyes full of fear and then everything went black.


	17. Things Can Only Get Better

Joker sat in the mess, he was still in shock, one minute she was alright and kissing him the next she was laying on the floor unconscious with blood spilling from her abdomen. He was surprised at how quickly everyone reacted, James had swept her up in his arms with Tali running ahead to tell Chakwas to prepare a space, Liara had been summoned by EDI to join Chakwas. All he had done was hand the ship over to EDI and walked in a daze to the mess, still unbelieving that she had been shot and that she might die, after all they had just gone through to get out of there in one piece, he still might lose her after just having gotten her.

"The next time I see that bastard, I'll kill him with my own hands," snarled Garrus to James as they emerged from the medbay, Joker looked up and beckoned them over to where he was sitting.

"I can't believe he did that," said James, shaking his head as he sat down across from Joker.

"Who did what now?" asked Joker, wanting to know what they knew about Elissa's shooter.

"Kaidan shot Shepard," said Garrus, his face contorting as if the very words were poison in his tongue.

Joker sat there trying to take in what he had just been told, he knew Kaidan was the biggest asshole that existed, but the fact he had shot Elissa was beyond being a dick, it was downright evil, "Oh my fucking God, he did not shoot her." His tone was menacing, he wanted Kaidan's blood for what he had done to Elissa.

"I watched him pull the trigger," said Garrus, his mandibles flexing in anger, "It was him, albeit was an impressive shot, even on my best day I would have a one in seven chance of making a hit like that."

"You better not be condoning what he did," growled Joker, "If she dies, I'll kill him."

"Relax, Joker, I'm just as bloodthirsty as you are," said Garrus, shifting in his seat a little.

"Lola's a survivor," said James, glancing at the medbay, "She'll pull through, that's almost a guarantee."

"Joker!" shouted Hannah, running down the hall, her hair disheveled and eyes frantically scanning the room as she came to a stop by Joker's table, "How is she? I heard she was shot, have you heard anything, please tell me you have."

"We just rushed her to the medbay, Admiral," said Garrus, his voice calm, "We'll find out anything about the same time you do, Chakwas went straight to work on patching her up."

Hannah sat down next to Joker, her head hung down and she buried her face behind her hands, he watched as she shook with silent sobs that wracked her entire body, instinctively he put his arm around her, "She's going to be alright, Hannah, it's going to be fine."

"Who shot her?" asked Hannah, looking up at James and Garrus, her eyes full of anger as tears rolled down her cheeks.

They both moved uneasily in their seats, neither one wanting to tell her the truth.

"Tell me who the fuck shot my only child!" shouted Hannah, pounding her fists on the metal table.

"Major Alenko," said James quietly and they all watched as Hannah's face contorted with pure rage, this was the look on a mother all people feared to see, it was powerful enough to bring full grown men to their knees and it almost did to James, Garrus, and Joker.

"Fuck," said Hannah, smashing her fist into the table again, Joker saw the dent she left, "I'll be right back, I have an important call to make."

The three men watched as Hannah strode out of the room, a woman on a mission, much like Elissa whenever an important assignment came about.

"She scares me," said James, a shudder moving through him, "I think I'll call her _Diablo_."

"Why would you call Hannah Shepard the Devil?" asked Tali as she sat where Hannah had just vacated.

"You didn't see her just now, Sparky," said James, glancing at the direction Hannah had exited, "She didn't look human, almost as she really had been possessed by some kind of demon."

"Has there been any word on Lisa yet?" asked Tali, now nervously wringing her hands.

"Nothing yet," sighed Garrus, looking at the medbay, "I have a feeling we're going to be waiting awhile for any news."

Rupert came over and gave them each a plateful of food, "To give you something to do while you wait, I think I'll be making more, it appears that everyone is coming to wait for news."

Joker looked up and saw several other crew members now occupying the tables: Ken and Gabby were holding hands, looking at the medbay, worried looks on both of their faces, Jacob was pacing with his hands behind his back, Kasumi was sitting by the door with her knees pulled to her chest and Joker thought she looked as if she were crying, Steve was leaning against the wall looking steadily at the closed medbay windows, Samantha standing beside him.

"I just heard," said a voice that nearly made Joker jump, he looked around and saw Miranda striding up, "I got here as soon as I could."

"It's good you're here, Rosa," said James as she sat down next to him and he put his arm around her shoulders.

"When did you get here, Miranda?" asked Joker, stunned that she was even on the _Normandy_ in the first place.

"A few days ago," said Miranda, "Kasumi snuck me in, Hackett needed me here to oversee the the rescue mission, and I wanted to feel useful again."

"What have you been up to these days?" asked Joker, trying to relax in her presence, Miranda always had a knack for making him feel completely uncomfortable no matter the circumstance.

"Missionary work, actually," said Miranda, "I've been working with several different colonies, helping them rebuild after the Reaper attacks, I've been applying any and all knowledge I've acquired over the years towards their defense systems."

"How'd you end up in Vancouver with Vega then?" asked Steve from behind them.

"We'd been messaging for months," replied Miranda, rubbing James' large forearm, "I had a few days off between traveling so I stopped off on Earth and met up with him, best decision I've ever made."

"Rosa," groaned James, blushing, apparently he was not used to being spoken of in the glowing terms she was using.

"I'm glad you two are together," said Joker, nodding approvingly, "Seems to be working out."

"Yeah, it is," said Miranda, smiling sweetly at James who blushed even harder.

"Chakwas!" shouted Gabby and everyone turned their heads, Joker practically leapt from the table when he heard her name being called.

"She's going to be just fine," said Chakwas wearily, and Joker could feel the relief reverberating through the entire room as they all heard the news, "Joker, she was asking for you."

Joker stood up properly, "Someone needs to tell Hannah that Elissa's going to be fine, you know, before she jumps ship to kill Major Asshole."

"I'll do it," said Miranda quickly, standing up as well, "I've been wanting to meet her, she's been a ghost these last few days, and I think the best way to meet her is with good news."

Joker nodded and he made his way to the medbay, his legs shaking so badly he thought he might not be able to hold himself up, he then followed Chakwas back into the medbay where he saw Liara tending to Elissa who was asleep in one of the beds.

"She's been sedated, though she should be waking up soon. She asked for you before she went under, I thought it would be best for her to wake up to you," said Chakwas as Joker walked slowly over to Elissa's bedside, he sat down in the chair that Liara had produced for him.

"How bad is it?" asked Joker as he took Elissa's cold hand in his.

"The bullet penetrated her abdomen and exited through the other side," said Chakwas, reading her data pad, "which caused the excessive bleeding, we were able to stitch her up, applied quite a bit of medi-gel to her wound and sedated her so her body could recover."

"Why is she so cold?" asked Joker, gently rubbing her arm, trying to warm her up.

"A small side effect of the sedation and the blood loss," said Liara, "the sedation has slowed the blood some and what blood she lost has yet to be regained. She should be fine in a couple of days, as long as she doesn't do anything too strenuous."

Joker looked up at Liara and was surprised to see a noticeable baby bump underneath her dress, "Wow, you really look pregnant."

Liara smirked, "Asari gestation is much shorter than any other species, the irony associated with our long lifespans, and I should be welcoming my daughter in about three to four months."

"Do we need to drop you back off at your base?" asked Joker, "So you can be with Feron when the time comes?"

"Actually, I was hoping to stay here," said Liara, "I want to be surrounded by friends and family when I bring my daughter into this galaxy and the _Normandy_ is my home after all, the crew is my family."

"The medbay is more than satisfactory for delivering babies," said Chakwas, "I'm sure we'll be able to accommodate for you."

"Thank you, Doctor," said Liara, inclining her head slightly, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to contact Feron."

Joker watched as the Asari left, her walk slightly changed by the presence of the large belly weighing down on her, he was amazed that despite everything that had happened she had been able to take care of both herself and manage being the Shadow Broker.

"Jeff," croaked Elissa, her hand now gripping his weakly.

"Ellie," said Joker worriedly, pressing the back of her hand against his cheek, "How are you feeling? Is there anything I can get you?"

"I feel okay," said Elissa, her head still spinning, everything around her going in and out of focus as she tried to look at Joker.

"Do you want any water?" asked Joker, pouring her a glass from the pitcher beside her bed, trying to regain control of his shaking hands.

"No, no water," said Elissa, waving her hand the best she could.

"Yes, water," said Chakwas sternly, "You are dehydrated and you need to drink at least three glasses of water before I give you any pain killers."

"You're a helluva commander, Doc," said Elissa, a smile ghosting her mouth as Joker placed the rim of the glass against her lips and she sipped some of the water, she signaled to him when she had had enough.

"I'm also placing you and Joker on forty eight hours of medical leave," said Chakwas, putting the order through her omni-tool, "I'll let visitors come in once you're more awake, you have quite a few people waiting out there to see you, Shepard."

"I always do," said Elissa wiping her mouth with her blanket.

"You're pretty special to everyone," offered Joker, trying to bolster her morale, like she had so often done for the rest of the crew.

"Thanks, Jeff," said Elissa, giving him a small smile, her head was beginning to feel less clouded but she still felt very weak.

"James has decided to call your mother _Diablo_," said Joker, wanting to make her forget for a moment her pain, and she looked like she wanted to laugh but did not due to the pain.

"Why? What'd she do?" asked Elissa, glad that he was now starting to go back into focus.

"Slammed her fist into the metal table and left a dent," said Joker simply, and he watched as Elissa nearly laughed again.

"Sounds like my mom," said Elissa, squeezing his hand, "God, it's so cold in here, can you get me an extra blanket, please?"

Joker had a better idea, he let go of her hand and took off his shoes, carefully he climbed into bed with her making sure that he did not disturb her stitches or anything else as he lifted her up and put his arm around her for support. When he was under the covers he pulled her close to him, making sure she was comfortable, "Isn't this much better than a flimsy blanket?"

"I have to agree with you there," said Elissa as she snuggled against him, "I feel warmer already, thank you, Jeff."

"You're welcome, Elissa," yawned Joker, he pulled his cap over his eyes, then held Elissa a little bit closer to his chest.

"You should sleep," said Chakwas quietly when she noticed him in bed with Elissa, "you've been through one hell of a day."

"Way ahead of you, Doc," yawned Joker, and he felt his eyelids droop closing out all light around him.

* * *

"They're asleep," Elissa heard Chakwas say a few hours later, rather irritated with whomever she was talking to, "I'll tell you when you can come and visit!"

"Doc," managed Elissa as she eased herself into the sitting position, avoiding Joker's limbs as best she could, "they can come in."

Chakwas sighed heavily and reluctantly allowed a rather large crowd of people into the small medbay, they all sat in various places trying to get as close as they could to Elissa and Joker's bed.

"How are you feeling, Shepard?" asked Garrus, his voice had lost its edge.

"Much improved," said Elissa, "How's everyone else? Anymore gunshot wounds I don't know about, was anyone else hurt?"

"No, Lisa," said Tali, putting her hand on Elissa's hand, "We all got back on the ship just fine, we've just been worried to death about you."

"Shepard," said a calm voice and Elissa looked up to see Samara standing in the corner, "I'm glad you are awake, I was concerned that your injuries might have been more severe."

"It's good to see you, too, Samara," said Elissa, smiling at the Justicar, "If you don't mind me asking, why are you here?"

"The injustice of your incarceration called me here," said Samara, walking over to the bed, "I could feel it halfway across the galaxy, it was so strong I felt compelled to come back to the _Normandy_ and see you. I will stay and aid you in your fight to finding out who is responsible for these actions against you."

"You're too kind, thank you, Samara," said Elissa, inclining her head in a small nod.

"What's going on?" asked Joker as he woke up, slightly startled by seeing everyone around the bed, staring at him.

"We have visitors," said Elissa, nudging his arm gently with her elbow.

"I can see that," smirked Joker, then he saw Samara, "Glad to see you again, Samara."

"Likewise, Joker," said Samara smiling kindly at him.

"Lisa, glad to see you're feeling better," said Miranda, stepping forward.

"Mira, I heard you had a hand in our breakout," said Elissa smiling as Miranda hugged her carefully before sitting on the bed next to Elissa's.

"Hackett brought me in on the plan, that's all," said Miranda brushing away the mention of her part in the breakout as if it were nothing, "I'm just happy that you're doing better."

"Thanks for the concern," said Elissa, "Did Bailey make it out alright?"

"We don't know, Shepard," said Garrus quietly and Elissa closed her eyes against the brewing tears.

"I'll try to find out, Lisa," said Liara kindly from her seat, "I'm sure there will be quite the report on your breakout from the Citadel's maximum security prison, there hasn't been an escape in several centuries and they just had two in one day."

"Always causing trouble, aren't you, Lola?" asked James, smiling at her from behind Miranda.

"Kasumi," said Elissa and the master thief emerged from amongst the crowd.

"Yes, Shep?" asked Kasumi, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"We'll set course for that colony of yours as soon as Joker gets out of this bed," said Elissa, playfully pushing Joker towards the edge though he barely moved an inch.

"Absolutely not," said Chakwas, "You and Joker are on forty eight hours medical leave, and you are not to go anywhere or do anything dangerous until you have recovered."

Elissa pouted and Joker wanted to laugh, her pout was too adorable not to, "Alright, alright, we'll wait. Sorry Kasumi."

"It's quite alright, Shep," said Kasumi, rubbing Elissa's leg, "I need to gather some more intel anyway before we go there, I just want you back in fighting condition before we get anywhere near the colony."

"Jackie!" exclaimed Hannah as she came rushing to her daughter's side, embracing her tightly but avoiding the injured area, "Thank every god that exists you're alright."

"I'm fine, Mom, no need for dramatics," sighed Elissa smiling at her mother who did not seem very amused by her comment.

"Sweetie, do you even know who shot you?" asked Hannah, her eyes filled with worry and anger, "Do you realize how close we came to losing you?"

"Chakwas said it was pretty close," said Elissa looking at the doctor who had resumed her post at her terminal, "I don't remember who shot me, all I remember doing is turning around as the doors were closing then running to the bridge."

"Major Asshole shot you," said Steve bitterly and Joker beamed.

"Of course he did," sighed Elissa, leaning back into her pillows, Joker's arm around her shoulder bringing her more comfort than words right now.

"Shepard," said Samara stepping forward once again, "I know this is a terrible time, but I must ask your help once again."

"It's fine Samara," said Elissa, silently urging the Justicar to continue.

"I have it on good authority that there are Ardat-Yakshi gathering in the outer reaches of the Terminus System," said Samara her tone was calm but her eyes showed fear, "I know this is too much to ask of you, but we must stop them from forming the army I fear they are becoming."

"Is your other daughter alright?" asked Elissa, her mind racing with possibilities and tactical scenarios.

"Yes, she is still at the sanctuary," said Samara, a sad smile on her lips.

"Do you think she'd be willing to help us against this army?" asked Elissa, she could feel Joker tense next to her but she ignored it.

"I could contact her and ask," said Samara her tone now slightly melancholy, "I hope I am wrong but there is too much of a imbalance in the galaxy for it not to be true."

"We'll stop them, Samara, you have my word," said Elissa solemnly.

"Thank you, Shepard," said Samara, "If you need me, I'll be in my old quarters, I hope you feel better soon."

They watched as the Justicar left the room as silently as she had entered it, entrancing the entire crew as she exited.

"I think that's enough excitement for today," said Chakwas, ushering the rest of the crew out of the medbay, all of them groaning and protesting her demands.

"Thank you, Chakwas," said Elissa wearily as she made herself even more comfortable in the bed next to Joker.

"You're welcome, Shepard," said Chakwas, "Now, I want you two to rest up, no Ardat-Yakshi hunting just yet."

"Yes, Doc," said Elissa and Joker in unison, both smiling as the doctor left the room to get some food for them both.

"Are you sure you're feeling alright?" asked Joker, concern written all over his face.

"Yeah, I am," said Elissa though she was having a hard time convincing herself of that.

"You're lying," said Joker firmly, he could always tell when she was being less than honest with not only him but with herself as well.

"I don't know, Jeff," sighed Elissa, resting her head on his shoulder, looking up into his grey eyes.

"Are you okay knowing it was a former shipmate that shot you?" asked Joker, refusing to even use Kaidan's name, rank or anything else they had come up with as a reference to him.

"I'm not exactly thrilled about it but I can't change what's happened," muttered Elissa, rubbing her side where her bullet wound was.

"You are taking this better than the rest of us are," said Joker bitterly, thinking of every different way he could kill Kaidan with just the _Normandy_, coming up with quite a few scenarios all of which involved a painful and fiery death.

Elissa chuckled, "I always expected him to betray me at some point even after we made up, he had showed me his true feelings twice before, once on Horizon and then on Mars. He never really trusted me, status symbol or not, trust seemed to mean everything to him ironically enough."

"It's weird," said Joker, and Elissa gave him a questioning glance, "He seemed to trust me and Chakwas, but not you, even though we all worked with Cerberus."

"You hadn't slept with him," sighed Elissa and she watched him shift his position uncomfortably.

"Point taken, but," said Joker wishing he could erase the image of Kaidan with Elissa out of his mind forever, "even though you were his commander, leading him into battle, he didn't think twice about trusting a doctor who could screw up his body in more ways than one and a pilot that could crush him with just a few maneuvers."

"I guess his trust was in the wrong place," laughed Elissa, and even though it hurt to laugh, she felt she needed to.

"No doubt," said Joker, smiling brightly at her, he loved hearing her laugh and was glad that he had been able to do so.

"I'm glad Chakwas made everyone leave," said Elissa in a sultry voice.

"Yeah, now I have you all to myself," said Joker pulling Elissa back to his chest, he caressed her cheek, his fingers tracing her jawline as he lifted her lips towards his own. He leaned down and brought his lips to hers, feeling the euphoria and relief he had come to know and welcome whenever they would kiss, everything in his mind vanished except thoughts of Elissa and he tumbling around in the hospital bed.

Elissa deepened the kiss, her tongue darting into his mouth, she moaned when he took in her lower lip and gently sucked and nipped it which only heightened her excitement and she could feel that it had the same effect on him. She felt as if something had finally gone right, she had him, she had someone she knew really cared for her and she deeply cared for him in every way a person could possibly feel affection for another person. She knew it would be difficult for them, as they currently had no possibility of settling down and having the chance at a normal life, but that had never been how she worked anyhow, living a calm life was not for her and she knew it was not for Joker either. They both enjoyed being in the thick of everything too much to step away, she could always depend on him to have her back and she to have his, that much she knew and that was the advantage they had over every other relationship: they had proven their loyalty to each other long ago, now all they had to do was prove their love.


	18. You Found Me

Elissa woke up, the sheets beside her had gone cold,_ 'Where the hell—?'_ she wondered until a split second later she realized that he was more than likely sitting up in the cockpit. Smiling to herself, she eased out of bed careful not to make too much noise that might attract the attention of Chakwas who's snores Elissa could hear coming from her desk, and she quietly dashed out of the door. Her abdomen was still sore but manageable enough for her to walk nearly straight up, she was grateful when she got into the elevator and was able to sit down for a few seconds before arriving at the CIC. Getting up off the floor proved to be a challenge she realized when she tried to stand and pain seared through her like fire, she rested herself again on the floor and carefully put herself on all fours, breathing deeply to control the pain. Next she pressed her hands against the wall in front of her and using that as a support, she walked her hands up the wall her, lifting herself with her knees until she was back in the standing position.

"Note to self, put metal bars in the elevator for times like this," mumbled Elissa to herself as she exited the elevator, amazed at how quiet the _Normandy_ was when everyone else was asleep. She had never noticed the quiet since her cabin was already so far away from everything and everyone that it was always peaceful, not that she spent much time there anyway other than to sleep. Continuing her way to the cockpit, she stopped by the entrance of the bridge, mostly to catch her breath but also to admire the unique beauty of the _Normandy_, as crazy as it sounded she had never actually taken the time to look at the ship most days it was just a blur as she rushed from one point to another trying to get a job done. With renewed vigor she finally made it up to the cockpit, she stood at the door and listened as Joker whispered various checks to himself, not noticing that she was behind him.

"Jeff," whispered Elissa and she watched him jump slightly before turning around to face her.

"Ellie, what are you doing here?" asked Joker, surprised and pleased to see her.

"Could ask you the same thing," winced Elissa, the pain from her wound making her breathing slightly more painful than usual.

"But I asked you first," said Joker and he motioned for her to sit on his lap, but she shook her head.

"We just got you well," said Elissa in response to his hurt look, "I'm not about to be the reason you have a shattered pelvis and two broken femurs."

"You'd be the only good reason to have a shattered pelvis," sniggered Joker as he helped her into the co-pilot's chair, glad to see her smile.

"Is that so, huh?" asked Elissa with a smirk, grateful that the chair appeared easier to get out of than the elevator.

"You know it," said Joker as he sat back down in his chair, admiring the way the soft light of the console reflected off her face, "So why did you come here? I was going to be back up after I ran some diagnostics."

"Didn't like waking up alone," said Elissa quietly, looking out the windshield at the millions of stars around them, "Reminded me too much of being in that prison when I'd wake up and realize you weren't there with me."

Joker gave her a sweet smile, "Don't worry, Ellie, that won't happen again unless I'm forced out at gunpoint."

"That's a little extreme," smirked Elissa but she was glad to hear it nonetheless, "Why are you running diagnostics now? Chakwas forbade us from work for two days."

"Which is why I'm doing these tests now," replied Joker as his omni-tool beeped with the results from two of the ten tests he had run, "So she can't get onto me for working. Did you hear her snoring, that was my clue that it was safe to leave."

Elissa stifled a laugh, it had been her indication that it was alright to leave as well, "Yeah, lets hope she stays asleep until after we get back down there, otherwise we might get sedated until our medical leave is up."

"That doesn't sound pleasant," muttered Joker as he thought about Chakwas coming after him with a tranquilizer, "Are we really going to stop an Ardat-Yakshi army, Elissa?"

Elissa ran her fingers through her hair, thinking about Samara's request, "I need to talk over the logistics and intel with Samara, but yeah, that's how it's looking at this point."

Joker frowned, she was in no condition to be fighting crazy-ass genetically mutated Asari warriors, "I know it's a priority, but shouldn't we try to find out why we were arrested for charges that were dropped years ago? Shouldn't we go after Cerberus first?"

"Jeff, if we don't stop the Ardat-Yakshi there might not be any way to find out those answers," replied Elissa sternly, getting up from the chair and standing beside him, "As angry as I am at the galaxy right now, I'm not about to let it be destroyed by a sect of Asari that are more deadly than the regular commandos, I owe the people that much."

"Ellie," said Joker, taking her hand in his, "You don't owe the people anymore than you've already given them, you've paid with your life, what more do you have to give? Can't you let this one go, just for right now, after what almost happened with Morinth and then with her sisters. . . ." He stopped himself as he remembered the dangerous undercover mission Elissa had embarked on with Samara in order to get rid of her most dangerous daughter and then when they traveled to Lesuss to save Rila and Falere only to find out that Ardat-Yakshi could become even deadlier. The thought of her running again into immeasurable danger after having just gotten rid of the Reapers was almost too much for him, and it must have shown on his face.

"Jeff," said Elissa quietly, leaning down carefully and placing her hand on his cheek, caressing it softly, "I know it's dangerous, but this is what I do, you've known that since we first met and you also know that I'm not about to turn away a friend in need."

Joker leaned his mouth into her hand, kissing her palm, his eyes closed, "I know, I know, it's just. . .I don't think I could handle losing you again, it was hard enough the first time."

Elissa smiled, "You're not going to lose me, Jeff, you know I'm too stubborn to die twice. Besides, I have a future to fight for now, an even better and brighter one than I could have ever hoped for."

It was his turn to smile now, she was right about everything as usual, "I'm sorry, Ellie, for doubting your decisions, I've just never had so much to lose before and it'll take time to get used to this feeling."

"I know, Jeff, I'm feeling the same way," said Elissa and she kissed him, enjoying the calm all around her, glad that she had him to reassure her even if she did not voice her doubts.

When they broke apart, Joker pressed his forehead against hers, "I guess these tests can wait, lets get back up to the medbay before Chakwas comes chasing after us."

Elissa nodded as she helped him up out of the chair and as they made their way back to the medbay, she could not help but smile at the thought of a future with the man standing next to her, whom had never left her side and did not seem to be making any plans to do so.

* * *

"Alright, Samara," said Elissa, she and the some of the crew were standing in the comm/debriefing room with a projection of the galaxy map taking up most of the table, "Where is the Ardat-Yakshi army gathering?"

"Here," said Samara, pointing at a small cluster barely in the Terminus system, "on the planet Lilonani in the Jumpleakla nebula of the Disnea cluster."

"I've never heard of that cluster before," said Joker.

"It's too small to really be seen on any map," replied Samara as she enhanced the image, "it contains only the one nebula and the one planet, which until recently was uninhabited, now shuttles full of young Ardat-Yakshi are arriving weekly so far they have close to two hundred there now."

"Do you have any idea who or what might be rallying the troops?" asked Elissa, now pacing, her hands behind her back.

"That's what worries me most," said Samara, her tranquil face showing signs of turmoil.

"It's not your daughter, is it?" asked Liara who was sitting down, data pad in hand.

"Oh no," said Samara, relief in her eyes, "Falere is still at the sanctuary, I spoke with her last night, even asking to speak with her guardian who was also there. No, what worries me most is the woman responsible for rallying these Ardat-Yakshi together is another Justicar, Remaldia. She has always been vocal about what she sees as the Asari's mistreatment of Ardat-Yakshi, claiming that we need to embrace this genetic defect as something to utilize instead of destroy."

"Guess she finally got what she wanted," remarked Elissa and Joker could see the tension around her eyes, she was thinking and very worried all at the same time.

"Which is exactly why we have to stop her," said Samara, "If she succeeds in starting up her army, she will destroy both Thessia and Illium before moving onto the rest of the galaxy."

"You know for a fact she is targeting Thessia and Illium?" asked Elissa, no longer pacing, instead looking at the tiny cluster on the map.

"Yes, my sources have confirmed this," said Samara. Joker watched as Elissa bit her lower lip, the mention of Thessia being involved seemed to have escalated the situation, at least in her mind.

"Not that I doubt you, Samara," said Elissa, "but could you run your sources by Liara, just to make sure we aren't going on a wild goose chase? I'd hate to show up at Thessia in full armor and there not be a threat."

"I understand, Shepard," said the Justicar, bowing her head slightly, "I will give Dr. T'Soni my contact's information and after it has been verified, we can head towards Lilonani."

"Wait," said Miranda, whom had been quiet for a change during the debriefing, "Shepard's not a Spectre anymore, we can't just go shooting around a city expecting to get away with it, there'd be too many consequences."

"I have already thought about that," replied Samara, ignoring the glare she was getting from Miranda, "Since I am a Justicar, I can bring anyone I deem essential with me on a mission, as long as they abide by the code they are exempt from any and all laws."

"I guess we should warn the government on Thessia who we're bringing with us," said Elissa thoughtfully, "hopefully it won't come to that, but just in case."

"I'll get right on that," said Liara, standing though with some difficulty as her baby bump was throwing her off balance, "Samara, if you'll forward me your contact's information, I can get started verifying his identity."

"Of course, Dr. T'Soni," said Samara and she left with Liara.

"What do we do in the mean time?" asked Jacob, who also had remained uncharacteristically quiet during the debriefing.

"Hope for the best, prepare for the worst," replied Elissa, "Miranda, I have an assignment for you."

"Of course, Shepard," said Miranda, stepping forward, her arrogance returning at the prospect of being given an important assignment.

"Almost two months ago," started Elissa, activating her omni-tool, "I was sent this message from an anonymous source, I had Liara run it through some software but she came up empty on the source and identity of the sender."

Miranda's omni-tool beeped and she opened it, "Beware the three-headed beast that guards the gates to Hell, it has many keepers_. _Is this the message you received, Shepard?"

Elissa nodded, "I want you to see if you can find out who sent this and where they're stationed out of."

"I appreciate the assignment, Shepard," said Miranda, "but if the Shadow Broker can't trace this message, what makes you think I can?"

"Wow, Miranda, I never expected to hear you doubt yourself," said Elissa smirking as Miranda scowled, "I know you and your abilities, Miranda, you were able to access Cerberus' private network with no problem and I also know you didn't access the Illusive Man's files out of respect even though you were more than capable of doing so at the time. Besides, we suspect Cerberus is behind my and Joker's arrests, if the sender is using the same network then it shouldn't take you too long to hack into it."

"Thank you, Lisa, I won't let you down," said Miranda smiling as she left the debriefing room with Jacob following behind her, leaving Joker and Elissa alone.

"Ellie," said Joker in a quiet voice, making sure not even EDI could hear him, "you never sent that message to Liara to be analyzed."

"I know," said Elissa in an equal tone, "I just wanted Miranda to still feel like she's still wanted on the _Normandy_, I get the feeling all the missionary work she's been doing is her way of making amends for having worked with Cerberus."

"If you say so, Commander," said Joker, taking her by the hand and they walked out together, not even noticing the members of the crew that were staring at them as they moved through the CIC heading towards the mess for breakfast.

"Commander Shepard," said EDI before Elissa and Joker had made it out of the elevator, "Admiral Hackett wishes to speak with you when you have a moment."

"Patch him through to my omni-tool," said Elissa as she and Joker walked out of the elevator, both anxious to finally hear from him.

"Will do, Commander," said EDI and Elissa heard her omni-tool sound off as the Admiral appeared on the screen.

"Shepard," said Hackett, he sounded tired, "I'm sorry I've been out of contact for so long, but it was a necessary precaution."

"Of course, Admiral," said Elissa as she sat down at the nearest table, "Are you alright?"

"Yes, no thanks to the assassin," replied Hackett bitterly.

Elissa's eyebrows raised in surprise, "Assassin? Someone was sent to kill you, who?"

"Not sure," said Hackett, "but he obviously wasn't very good at his job, which I count as a good thing, for obvious reasons. Anyway, I just received word that you were off the Citadel and I had to make sure you weren't injured or anything."

"Little late for that, sir," said Joker from beside Elissa, "as we were leaving, she was shot, she's now in recovery."

"Thank you, Joker," said Elissa through gritted teeth and he smirked at her.

"You were what?!" exclaimed Hackett, apparently he had yet to be informed of how badly the escape had gone, "Was it serious? Who did it?"

"It was pretty bad but luckily Chakwas was able to patch me up," said Elissa, absentmindedly placing her hand on her healing wound, "and I was told it was Major Alenko who fired the shot at me."

Hackett closed his eyes, "This situation just got much more serious."

"Why's that?" asked Elissa, her eyes wide.

"You and Joker haven't been discharged from the Alliance yet," said Hackett, "I managed to convince the brass that you two were not how the Council had made it seem, and after speaking with you both, they believed me."

Elissa looked at Joker, her eyebrows raised in surprise, "The brass met with you?"

"I'm just as important as you are," scoffed Joker, rubbing her thigh underneath the table.

"So why does the fact Kaidan shot me escalate the situation?" asked Elissa, turning her attention back to Hackett.

"He's an Alliance soldier who's now shot another one," said Hackett, "it would appear he doesn't give a damn about regulations anymore and is working independently but now using the Alliance soldiers as a personal army."

"I don't think it's that serious, sir," said Joker, almost convinced that Hackett had gone crazy from paranoia.

"Hope for the best, prepare for the worst," said Hackett grimly, "and that is the worst case scenario right now, so make preparations accordingly. What is your current status?"

"Drifting in space about four or five lightyears away from both the Sol system and the Citadel," said Joker automatically.

"I'm close to Omega, managed to get there with my crew before too much shit hit the fan," said Hackett, "Do you think you could make it out here within the next few days?"

"Actually, sir, we've been drafted by an Asari Justicar," said Joker and Elissa rolled her eyes.

"An Asari Justicar?" said Hackett, obviously surprised, "What has she asked you to do?"

"Stop an Ardat-Yakshi army from wiping out Thessia and Illium," said Elissa before Joker could answer.

"Sounds serious," said Hackett thoughtfully, "alright, deal with that and then get the _Normandy_ to Omega, we can regroup there, hopefully we'll have more intel by the time you arrive. Good luck, Shepard, Hackett out."

Elissa sighed as the screen went black, "That was certainly enlightening."

"Omega?" said Joker, astounded, "Hackett took an Alliance frigate to Omega?"

"Guess it was the last place he thought the assassin would go looking for him," said Elissa as Rupert placed a bowl of oatmeal in front of her and then gave one to Joker.

"Don't worry, maple syrup is warming up, I'll give it to you soon," said Rupert smiling as he went back to the kitchen.

"Did no one eavesdrop?" wondered Elissa, and then she saw that it was only she and Joker in the mess, no one else had arrived.

"Hey, Rupert," called Joker, "Where is everyone?"

"They've already eaten," replied Rupert as he scooped some maple syrup into a bowl, then placed it on their table, "in case you didn't notice, it's already zero-nine thirty, breakfast is usually served at zero-six hundred hours, so it's just you two."

"Thanks for the update," said Joker as he spooned some maple syrup into his oatmeal, "So, should I set course for Lilonani?"

"Later," said Elissa, running her hand over his thigh, watching its effect on him, "I want to enjoy my medical leave."

"Thought you hated time off," said Joker, trying to focus on his breakfast but her touch was making it difficult for him to focus on anything.

"I'm sure we can find a way to make it more enjoyable," purred Elissa in his ear, sending chills all over his body.

"I think you're right," said Joker in a husky whisper.

"Should we head up to my cabin?" asked Elissa, gently nipping his earlobe.

"Yep, right now," said Joker taking her hand, he stood up before she did and began pulling her to the elevator, eager and nervous about what was about to happen next.


	19. Lost in this Moment with You

**A/N: This chapter contains explicit adult content. Read at your own risk. Enjoy!**

* * *

_'We're going to her cabin,'_ thought Joker excitedly as he pressed the button in the elevator, _'We're actually going to her cabin!'_

Even though he was excited about what was going to happen he had to admit that he was a little nervous, up until now they had just kissed and cuddled each other, though he had always wanted to go further, hell she was a beautiful woman and needed to be worshipped as such. He had been with a few women before now, not that any of those trysts meant anything to him now, especially after he found out the women had faked it just to get him off and get done before they broke him. Watching the extranet had imparted on him some useful pointers that he was eager to try on Elissa, wanting nothing more than to bring her pleasure she had not felt before.

He inched himself closer to her watching as she gave him a sly grin before moving over closer, the smell of vanilla and roses hitting his nose and he unconsciously growled, it was all he could do to not push her against the metal wall and take her right there. _'Goddamn it, look away!'_ he thought but his eyes refused to cooperate, instead he met her steady gaze, he saw her eyes slowly move down his body stopping every few seconds to take in a different section of his body. He looked at her beautiful face, green eyes sparkling with the anticipation of the moment, a smile spread wide on her pink lips and her golden brown curls framing her face flawlessly each feature taking his breath away as he took it all in not wanting to miss a single one. Looking down further he admired the gentle curve of her cream colored neck that her shirt generously exposed, he was very glad that she had discarded the usual Alliance attire for a tight blouse and blue jeans. Through the thin material he could make out the impression of her bra, his breath hitching when he saw the outlines of her hard nipples, he desperately wanted to release them so he could suck and massage them.

Joker felt a sudden tightening around his own jeans, there was no need to look to know what was going on down there, though he watched her eyes travel in that direction stopping when she reached her destination and her eyes went wide, she was shamelessly showing him that she really liked what she was seeing. Her reaction caused his body to respond in its own way, taking away any and all room that was left in his jeans, not that there was much room before this point. Gazing passed her breasts, he followed the flow of her curves down her waist to her hips, all he wanted to do was reach out and grip her hips against his, his eyes lingered at the spot where her legs converged before following the line of her legs admiring how long her jeans made them look. He nearly groaned aloud when he thought of her sleek legs wrapped around his waist as he thrust deeply into her, guiding him in deeper with each push, _'God, I want her now!'_

* * *

Elissa glanced over at Joker from the opposite side of the elevator and saw him move over closer towards her, she smiled slyly as she moved her own body over to his, close enough that she could smell his musky cologne. Suddenly she heard a deep growl and she realized that it was from him, the sound of his desire made her want to moan as well, looking up into his twinkling green-grey eyes she saw the anticipation and want that she knew was in her own. There was something else, something deeper and it quickened her heartbeat when she recognized it was a look that went deeper than mere lust, she wanted to think it was love but she did not dare to hope.

She had only been with a handful of men, the last one had betrayed her trust completely, yet right now she did not feel the trepidation that normally filled her whenever she was going to be with a new man. Instead she felt confident and safe, something about Joker made him different from any other man she had been with in the past, maybe it was the way he was looking at her or perhaps it was the fact she trusted him with her life and she knew he would not betray that trust. Looking at him she could see his eyes traveling down her body taking in all of her features, lingering on her breasts and she could feel her nipples harden under his gaze, she wondered how it would feel for one to be in his mouth. She allowed her eyes to wander slowly down his body, taking in all of his rippling muscles, she was pleasantly surprised that he was so well defined since from the way he talked it seemed that he never did any working out.

Her eyes felt drawn further down his body, enjoying the view especially when she got down to his groin, inwardly she moaned loudly when she saw his impressive manhood pressing against the restraints of his pants. She desperately wanted to relieve him of the bothersome material, wanted to grip his throbbing member in her hand, feel it enter her as she guided it inside and then enjoy the feeling of him thrusting strongly into her. _'God, I need him!'_

The elevator stopped at the desired floor and Elissa curled away from the wall, thankful that there was only ten more feet between the doors, "EDI, privacy mode."

"Logging you out, Commander," replied EDI and Elissa pulled Joker by the hand into her cabin, happy to finally have him by herself, and then taken by surprise when he pressed her against the nearest wall hungrily claiming her lips as soon as the door closed behind them.

* * *

He wanted her to feel everything in his heart in that one kiss and he knew she understood when she brought her leg up on his hip and pressed him closer to her deepening their kiss with her tongue seeking out his. One of her hands was over his shoulder pressing his chest against hers, the other had knocked his hat off while combing through his hair, he really wanted to feel the heat from her hands on his bare skin. One hand around her waist bringing her hips against him the other on her raised thigh, gently running up and down its length stopping for a few lingering seconds on her firm behind. He could feel his erection pressing against her warmth and it was almost his undoing, he moaned in her mouth when he felt the heat between her legs, nearly dropping to his knees.

Elissa broke the seal he had on her mouth, "Come with me." She lowered her leg and after gently pushing him off her, took his hand leading him over to her bed she could feel the nerves returning, she had been so confident until this moment. Now with him sitting on the bed before her and it had become clear what was going to happen she was even more nervous than ever before.

As if sensing her fear he took both her hands in his, "Elissa, I want you, God do I want you badly."

Elissa breathed a sigh of relief, she knew by his tone and the look in his eyes that he was serious and not saying it just to spend one night with her, "I want you too, Jeff, more than life itself."

"That's a little extreme," said Joker in a husky voice as he drew her close to him, bringing her to his lap, and she straddled him making sure to put her weight on her knees and not her pelvis though she desperately wanted to press her hot core against his manhood.

* * *

He wanted her naked, needed her to be naked, his hands slowing going underneath her blouse and he moaned when his skin came into contact with hers it was much softer than he had expected though he felt slight dips where he knew there were scars. He pulled her top off over her head and sucked in a deep breath, no length of imagining could have prepared him for her beauty; her flat hard stomach the result of years of PT, firm round breasts the gift of nature teasingly being hidden underneath her mint green bra, an hourglass figure that gave way to shapely hips. Even with the bandages on her wound she still looked breathtakingly beautiful, nothing, no scar or wound was going to change that image in his mind. It was his dream come true, she trusted him enough with the secrets of her body, for him to see her in this state of vulnerability that he never thought to see her in.

"Elissa, you are the most beautiful woman in the galaxy," said Joker when he saw her bite her lower lip that he knew was out being nervous. He watched as she leaned down and kissed him tenderly, the desperation gone being replaced by genuine desire and need, he let his hands do his bidding and they roamed up her back the flushed skin igniting his desire further as he imagined it on his own. His hands hit the clasp of her bra and he deftly unclipped it with one hand, and he let the straps roll down her arms not even caring when it hit his neck softly. Elissa sat up and removed her bra and he felt his breath catch in his throat, his mouth went dry when he saw the fullness of her breasts unclothed. He brought his hands around to the front of her body and ran his thumbs over both pink erect nipples watching the goosebumps break out over her skin, then he plucked one of the nipples in his mouth, sucking on it gingerly while the other hand twisted the second one. She moaned loudly the moment his mouth clamped over her nippled and he felt her moving her hips back and forth as he ran his tongue around her nipple before switching to the other one, giving it as much attention as the other.

* * *

Her back arched the moment his mouth touched the sensitive skin of her taut nipple, his beard brushing against her breast only heightening the sensations that coursed through her body, his touch made her melt and she gave in to what her body wanted to do and she expertly moved her hips up and down against his erection. The care and time he was taking to pleasure her was exhilarating, just the fact he was making the pleasure last as long as it was nearly sent her over the edge. She wanted to feel her skin on his, her body craved his touch and she tugged at his T-shirt ready to rip it in half if necessary, luckily he understood her desire and pulled off the shirt himself and she pressed herself against his warm chest. He buried his face in the nape of her neck and she could feel him running his tongue across her skin before it was replaced by his lips, the feeling almost making her drop her full weight on his pelvis but she maintained enough control to prevent that from happening.

* * *

Joker could tell that even with all that was happening, she was still being conscious of where her weight was in relation to his body and he felt a rush of love towards her, she was not trying to get this over with like all of the other women had instead she wanted to make sure he was comfortable so this could go on longer. Gently he rolled over so she was on the bottom and he was on top though her legs were off the bed resting on the floor, he loved the feeling of being between her legs, he kissed down her body making sure that not an inch of her flesh had not been left untouched even working around the bandages on her stomach. When he came to the waistband of her jeans he growled in frustration, nothing not even mere fabric, was going to come between him and his goal and with his teeth he undid her fastenings impressed with himself that he was able to then he pulled off her jeans slowly admiring the toned legs that were revealed from underneath. When he got to to her feet, he started to kiss softly from the top of her foot up to her knee before switching to the other leg, doing the same until he came up to that knee then he spread her legs enough that he could see the lacy white panties. Sitting up on his knees he hovered over her hips, using his hands he quickly slipped off her panties and then settled himself back between her thighs, running his hands up and down the outside of her thighs kissing the soft flesh on either side of his face. It took all his self restraint to not go immediately for her womanhood, and he instead ran his finger down her wet folds and he felt her buck in response only arousing him further. Then he slipped one finger inside her, feeling her grip around it and he slipped another one in once she had relaxed a few seconds later, he moved his fingers slowly in and out of her only increasing in speed when she started to grind against his fingers.

Now he used his tongue to explore her womanhood, savoring her taste as he worked his way towards the bundle of nerves he knew would bring her to another level of pleasure, he ran his tongue across it and her hips rose off the mattress quickly in response. Then he sucked and licked it as his fingers continued to move in and out.

"Oh Jesus, Jeff," moaned Elissa as her body became flushed with the heat of pleasure, "Yes, oh God, yes, Jeff keep going!"

He sped up his actions and then felt her tighten around his fingers, her thighs quivering as she released, and he heard her cry out, "Jeff!" just before her body collapsed from her orgasm. Suddenly he felt himself being pulled up and then Elissa's lips claimed his in a hungry and passionate kiss, he knew if he did not enter her soon he would explode.

"Elissa, I want to be inside you," said Joker in a husky whisper as he felt her hands on his waist undoing his jeans, he stood up to make it easier for her and she made quick work of relieving him of his pants and boxers. Her eyes went wide when his member was released from his boxers and he felt his skin flush in response to her approval of his manhood. She laid back down on the bed as he crawled back up between her legs, he looked in her eyes and saw his desire reflected back at him, then he felt her hand take him in and her touch nearly sent him over the edge. She guided him inside her, both gasping when he was fully sheathed by her tight womanhood, he had never felt so complete in his life, never had this felt so right.

"Fuck, Ellie!" moaned Joker into her neck as he started to thrust slowly, her movements matching his in speed and strength, he managed to bring his head up from the nape of her neck and looked into her gorgeous green eyes that were becoming glazed over with ecstasy.

"You're amazing," moaned Elissa as Joker picked up speed. His own release gaining power as her fingernails dragged down his back, his arm wrapped around her shoulders, using the angle to deepen his thrusts.

He felt himself go over the point of no return, in a combination moan and yell he released inside her just as she let out a muffled cry against his chest and he felt her tighten around him, both giving into the ecstasy that washed over them.

"Holy shit," panted Elissa as Joker moved from on top of her, to laying beside her, pulling her close against his chest.

"No kidding," said Joker in a breathy laugh, and he buried his face in her soaked hair, enjoying her smell of sweat and afterglow.

Elissa turned into his chest, breathing heavily, she could not remember the last time being intimate with someone had felt so good. Nothing she had experienced before could compare to this, there was something different about this time that made it special, she hoped that Joker had felt the same way.

"Elissa," said Joker, kissing her sweat drenched forehead, "that was fucking amazing."

She looked up at him and knew that he did not just mean on the physical level, though that was amazing enough, she could see in his sparkling eyes that it had meant more to him than just claiming her as a conquest.

"I know what you mean," sighed Elissa and she closed her eyes, worn out from the physical and emotional pleasure she had just experienced, glad that she had been able to share those feelings with Joker.


	20. Time Well Spent

"Gin!" shouted Elissa throwing her cards down as Joker groaned, angrily putting his own down on the table.

"Remind me again why this game is fun," said Joker as he put a tally mark under Elissa's name on their score sheet, so far she was beating him twenty three to seventeen and on some kind of streak, she had won the last six games in less than twenty minutes.

"Because you're cute when you lose," said Elissa as she shuffled the cards, smiling at him.

"That's not why we used to play," said Joker, smirking at her.

"Remind me then why we used to play cards," said Elissa as she dealt them their cards, then took a sip of the coffee Rupert had poured for her just a few minutes ago, watching as Joker's face fell for a brief second when he saw his cards.

"We used to play as a form of stress management," said Joker, quickly regaining his composure, hoping she had not seen his face a few seconds ago.

"Now we have a different form of stress management," said Elissa in a quiet tone, watching him smile.

"I still like playing cards though," said Joker and he laughed when Elissa scowled though he knew it was in jest.

"Have you two stopped playing yet?" asked Garrus, who was walking off the elevator with Tali's hand in his.

"Just getting started," called Elissa, laughing when Garrus shook his head.

"Why don't you join us?" asked Joker, handing in two of his cards for another two.

"He has calibrations to do!" said Tali, giggling when she saw Elissa and Joker roll their eyes, "I'll join you two though, if anything to just talk."

"I'll be back before dinner," said Garrus as he kissed Tali's helmet, Elissa was touched by this display of affection from Garrus, normally he was so uptight. Tali walked towards the table they were sitting at and sat down next to Elissa, humming a tune she recognized was from the musical _The Fleet and the Flotilla_, Tali's absolute favorite vid in the galaxy.

"What's it like dating a Turian?" asked Elissa, checking out her cards, "Is it just like your favorite vid?"

"Better, I have it for real, " said Tali in a dreamy tone, Joker sniggered until Elissa shot him a look that shut him up, "Garrus and I have always been friends and now that we're more, everything just feels so natural, as if it was always meant to be a romantic relationship."

"I know what you mean," said Joker smiling at Elissa who was also smiling at him.

"What ever happened to Aria T'Loak? I thought Garrus was with her for a while?" asked Elissa, hoping Tali would not get offended by the subject of Omega's queen.

"Oh that," sighed Tali, obviously she was not happy talking about her but Elissa knew she was going to anyway, "she flipped out when she found out Garrus was Archangel."

"You mean he hadn't told her!" laughed Joker, forgetting his cards completely, "Talk about some serious trust issues."

"From what he told me, he was just working her so he could have access to all shady deals and things like that," said Tali, "I'd rather not think about it, instead I'm going to ask Elissa what she plans on doing now that she is free and we're are never going to bring the sorted subject up again, am I clear?"

"Crystal," said Joker trying to be serious abou the situation while Elissa nodded, using her cards to cover up her grin.

"So, Lisa," said Tali turning to Elissa, "What are your plans now that you're free?"

"Other than stopping an Ardat-Yakshi army and finding out what Cerberus is up to?" asked Elissa, trading in four of her cards.

"Obviously," said Tali, who was now doodling on the score sheet.

"I have a few personal matters to attend to," replied Elissa shifting in her seat, trying to stop the tears that threatened to spill over.

"Such as?" asked Joker, this was the first he had heard of these personal matters.

"I want to go back to Alchera," said Elissa quietly, watching Joker's reaction, wishing she had not said a word about her plans now.

"Anything else?" asked Joker, "Anyone you want to see?"

"I was thinking of going to Tuchanka and holding a memorial for Mordin," said Elissa, "We'll have to stop off at Sur'Kesh first though, find Mordin's nephew and bring him with us, and get in touch with Dr. Ingleside, he wants to be there."

"Speaking of memorials," said Tali, drawing what looked like a cat, "have you been in touch with Kolyat since Thane's?"

"He sends me a message every once in a while," said Elissa, adjusting her cards, "so far he's been keeping his nose clean and is getting a job at Huerta as security, I think Thane would approve of his son's choices."

"It's strange but I still miss Thane," said Joker sadly, "He was a great guy and had the best outlook on life, despite the fact he was dying, he acted like he wasn't."

"That's what was so great about him," whispered Elissa, "I learned so much from him, mostly how to cope with the idea of death and still carry on the fight, I wish he had made it through."

"We all do, Lisa," said Tali, putting her hand on Elissa's shoulder and Joker reached across, placing his hand on her's as best he could without disturbing her cards.

"Hey!" shouted James emerging from the elevator, Miranda behind him, "What's with the love fest here?"

"Nothing you can get it on, James," said Elissa laughing with everyone else.

"Damn, and here I was going to offer over my personal vid recorder," said James as he sat next to Joker, Miranda on his lap, "Anyway, who's winning?"

"I am," said Elissa, putting her cards on the table, "Gin!"

"Goddamn it!" groaned Joker as everyone laughed around him, "You win, Ellie, I'm quitting for good."

"Come on, Joker," said Miranda, reaching for the deck of cards, "You might quit gin but don't quit cards, just play a different game, and the name of that your new game is poker."

"Another card game I suck at," sighed Joker but he was smiling.

"Good, then maybe I stand a chance," said Tali watching as Miranda passed out cards to everyone.

"We don't have any chips," said James, kissing Miranda's cheek.

"We can play for chores and favors," said Elissa, "favors of a nonsexual nature, I might add." James and Joker groaned, the women laughed.

"Sounds good to me," said Miranda, "EDI, keep track of who owes whom a favor or who is in charge of what chore."

"Of course, Miss Lawson," said EDI.

"Alright," said Elissa, "lets get this started."

"Bring it!" exclaimed Joker, satisfied with his hand already.

"Keelah, I have a bad feeling about this," said Tali.

"Don't give yourself away there, Sparky," said James and they started playing.

* * *

"Okay, EDI," said Miranda, slightly deflated, "read back the favors and chore reassignments, I think we're done playing for the night." Everyone around the table nodded.

"Yes, Miss Lawson," said EDI, "Favors: Lieutenant Vega owes Mr. Moreau two months of personal training but Mr. Moreau owes Lieutenant Vega a piloting lesson and his dessert at dinner for the next three weeks, Mr. Moreau owes Miss vas Normandy a helmet cleaning and she has to balance Lieutenant Vega's checkbook both personal and for his business, Shepard has permitted Miss Lawson access to her books in return Miss Lawson will clean the fish tank once a week and Lieutenant Vega owes Shepard a tattoo of her choosing free of charge. Chores: Mr. Moreau is responsible for cleaning the crew's various firearms instead of Lieutenant Vega for the next week along with Shepard, Miss vas Normandy has been charged with checking Shepard's personal terminal for two weeks and Lieutenant Vega is responsible for being Miss Lawson's biotics training partner for an unspecified duration."

"I do not envy you there, James," chuckled Joker, reluctantly passing his slice of pie to James, "You need this food more than I do if you're going to be training with her."

"He'll be fine," said Tali, hiccuping slightly, "Miranda will go easy on him, she doesn't want to break her boy toy."

"Not yet anyway," said Miranda and everyone laughed when James turned bright red.

"Oh my god, way too much information," laughed Joker, reaching for his beer.

"It's good to see you loosen up some, Mira," said Elissa, sipping her Kahlua and cream Rupert had made from his secret stash of good liquor.

"It's strange but it feels good to relax," said Miranda, shifting herself on James' lap, "As much as I've enjoyed my missionary work, I feel much more at ease being back on the _Normandy_, it makes me feel like all is right with the galaxy despite all we've been through. With all of the enemies we've faced, you'd think we wouldn't know what it means to relax."

"Yeah, but right now there are no gigantic mechanical squids to shoot at," said Joker, smiling.

"Or Collectors to battle," said Tali stifling a hiccup.

"Still was fun though," said James, "I still wish I had been on the SR-2 from the start, sounds like it was an amazing ride."

"The best," said everyone else and then they all laughed, even though they had stayed in contact over the last few months it felt much better being around everyone again in this setting.

"Still glad you came with us when you did, James," said Elissa, remembering her house arrest and first meeting James when he had been assigned as her personal guard.

"So am I, Lola," said James, hugging Miranda closer, "there's no place I'd rather be, and I'm not looking forward to this mission being over, it might be the end of all this."

"You can never keep the _Normandy_'s crew apart," scoffed Joker, "I think we've proven that time and time again, no matter where you scatter us, we always get back together."

"You got that right, amigo," said James, clapping Joker on the back, "I mean, even Wrex came back every now and then and he's the father to most of Tuchanka now."

"I hope Tuchanka has a large supply of ice," muttered Elissa, remembering her conversation with Wrex at the bar a few months ago, and how he had needed five bags of ice to just make it back to the _Normandy_ without wincing too much.

"Wrex as a father," giggled Tali, "I can just see him playing tea party with his daughters, in a pink hat and holding a tiny tea cup."

"I don't think Krogans know what a tea party is, Tali," chuckled Miranda, "but it would be amusing to watch Wrex be a father, I bet a lot of headbutting is involved."

"Not on the children I hope," said Elissa sternly.

"Don't be silly, I meant he probably would butt heads with their mothers," said Miranda, "All of those women demanding his attention for their children."

"I don't envy him at all," said Joker, laughing.

"You don't want your own personal harem, Joker?" teased James, getting a glare from Elissa, which he chose to ignore.

"Nah, I'm a one woman kind of guy," said Joker, looking over at Elissa who beamed at him sweetly.

"Glad you two are finally together," said James, absentmindedly playing with a strand of Miranda's dark hair, "By the way, it's about freaking time!"

"I agree," called Garrus as he stepped out of the main battery, "Sorry I'm late, just now got done with the calibrations, still have some to do tomorrow."

"Never mind those silly calibrations," said Tali, slurring a few words, "Why don't you try and find my omni-tattoo?"

"Who let Tali drink?" asked Garrus, shaking his head.

"We can't stop her, Scars," said James, chuckling as Tali tried to stand, she was shaky on her legs, "She's her own woman."

"I didn't mean to say it like that," sighed Garrus as he held onto Tali who had stumbled into his arms in an attempt to walk, "It's just you all know how she gets when she drinks."

"She's a helluva lot more fun than you are," sniggered Joker, as Garrus picked up Tali who was now giggling uncontrollably, "You just get a larger stick up your ass when you're drunk, though I still think you'd try to kill some one with it if you could."

"I'm glad I amuse you, Joker," said Garrus, pulling Tali to her feet as she tried to lay down on the floor, "But I also meant what I said before, I'm glad you finally grew a quad and started dating Shepard, it took you long enough."

"Thanks for that, Garrus," sighed Joker, pulling his cap over his eyes while everyone laughed, though no one seemed to hold his reluctance against him.

"Don't feel bad," said Garrus, "I'm about to give Shepard crap for the long wait too. Shepard, you should have walked away from Alenko on Horizon and kissed this man the second you walked back on the ship."

Elissa turned red and hid herself behind her hands as everyone now laughed at her, but she knew the fact they were laughing meant they cared, they just wanted her happy like she had always wanted for them.

"Same could be said for you and Tali," said Kasumi from behind him, making everyone jump, "I knew you two were flirting long before now, just glad you finally grew a quad as you so eloquently put it, and asked her out." She disappeared again and everyone shook their heads, nothing had really changed since the last time they were all on board together.

"On that note, I'm taking her back bed so she can sober up," said Garrus heading towards the elevator, "See you in the morning."

"Good luck finding that omni-tattoo!" shouted Joker as Garrus and Tali got into the elevator.

"I think Garrus has the right idea," said Miranda, yawning to emphasize her point, "Ready for bed, love?"

"I think so," said James stretching overhead, flexing his muscles for show, "I'm glad you're cabin is just over there, Rosa, otherwise I might not make it. Good night, Lola, Joker." Miranda climbed off James' lap and they held hands as they walked over to Miranda's old quarters, Elissa and Joker shaking their heads.

"Do you want to head to bed or would you rather play a few more hands of gin?" asked Elissa, shuffling the cards, laughing when Joker groaned.

"I think I might just head off to bed," said Joker standing up, "See you in the morning, Ellie."

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" asked Elissa trying to sound like she was giving an order.

"To the cockpit," said Joker, pointing to the general area of where it was located in relation to where he was currently standing, "I usually sleep there."

"Not anymore," said Elissa, standing up and taking his hand in her own, "from now on, you sleep in my cabin, in my bed, with me."

Joker blinked a few times in shock, "That was fast."

"I told you I don't do anything half-assed," said Elissa smirking as they got into the elevator, "That includes being in a relationship."

"I like your style, Commander," said Joker and they laughed, before disappearing into Elissa's cabin, both were glad they could be together at last.

* * *

Joker woke up to a ceiling of stars and for a split second he thought he was laying in his chair until he felt Elissa stir next to him and he remembered that he was in her cabin, in her bed, with her instead of being alone. He leaned over slightly and kissed her forehead, glad to be there laying next to her, it really was his dream come true.

"Damn, I'm lucky," whispered Joker, hugging her closer to his chest.

"Not as lucky as I am," said Elissa though her eyes were still closed.

"Sleep well?" asked Joker, kissing the top of her head, smelling her rose shampoo.

"Obviously," yawned Elissa as she stretched, then she put her arms back around Joker's torso, smiling up at him, "What about you?"

"I always sleep better with you next to me," said Joker, smiling back at her, "How much longer until our medical leave is up?"

"Chakwas has to clear us first," said Elissa, propping herself on her pillow with her elbow, "but I suspect we only have a few more hours, then it's back to the fight."

"Sometimes I wish there wasn't a battle to fight," sighed Joker, "but you and I would both go absolutely stir crazy if there was nothing for us to do, hell that almost happened when we were in Vancouver, thank God for that delivery job."

"Delivery job?" said Elissa, surprised that Joker had taken up a delivery job during their extended shore leave.

"Yeah, did a few shuttle runs for Arcturus and occasionally made deliveries to various towns in British Columbia," said Joker, brushing some strands of hair out of her face.

"I never heard that," said Elissa her breath hitching at his touch, "everyone made it sound like all you did while on leave was watch the extranet and play gin with me."

"I didn't want you jealous that your pilot was outsourcing to other companies," said Joker grinning as she pretended to glare at him.

"As long as you don't ask to be reassigned to another ship, I'm fine with you outsourcing your skills," said Elissa, kissing him softly.

"I'd never leave you or the _Normandy_," said Joker, turning serious while he spoke.

"Good," said Elissa, stroking his beard, "because I'd never let you."

"Elissa, I love you," said Joker and he meant it, with all of his heart.

"I love you, too, Jeff," said Elissa and he brought her in for a passionate kiss, she knew he had meant it when he said it and she meant it too, for the first time in a very long time she actually meant those three words.


	21. A Small Victory

Chakwas made some notes in her data pad, Joker and Elissa were sitting beside each other on a hospital bed, Joker shirtless and Elissa wearing her Alliance issue sports bra and sweatpants, neither liking the look on Chakwas face.

"I will clear you two for duty but," said Chakwas, clucking her tongue in disapproval, "the care you received in that prison was mediocre at best. I am going to place you both on a strict diet to increase the vitamins and protein you lost eating that prison slop and you are both going to be required to weekly check ups until your vitals are where I like them. Shepard, your wounds are still healing but with enough medi-gel and some bandages I see no reason you cannot still fight. Joker, you are going to continue your physical therapy with Vega though I will be there to supervise and will send him some suggested guidelines for the workouts, I'm also prescribing you some bone supplements which should building up the inner framework of your bones. You are both dismissed, though I expect to see you in about a week for another check up."

"Sure thing, Doc," said Joker, pulling his shirt back over his head, Elissa doing the same with her PT shirt.

"Thanks, Chakwas," said Elissa standing now, "I need to go get ready for the mission. Joker, I had Liara forward you the coordinates for Disnea."

"Thanks, Shepard," said Joker, smiling at her as she left the medbay, not really in a hurry to leave just yet.

Chakwas chuckled when she saw his face, "Should I give you a cooties shot?"

"A what?" asked Joker, reading over the diet he had been given, disappointed to see his favorite foods had been removed from the list.

"Something my mother used to say to me and my sister," said Chakwas, "and I used to say it to my children whenever they were in love."

"I'm not in love," said Joker trying to cover up the grin that was spreading across his face but failing dismally.

"Jeff, I raised four children, all of whom are happily married," said Chakwas in a motherly tone, "They each looked like you do now when they met their spouse."

"I didn't know you had four children," said Joker, laying back in the hospital bed.

"Most don't," said Chakwas, sitting back at her desk, "I try to keep my personal and professional life separate, the only person on this ship that knows about my children is Hannah, she's the godmother of my youngest."

"So do I get to learn their names and occupations?" asked Joker, putting his hands behind his head, content to listen to Chakwas talk about her family.

"Don't you have a ship to fly?" asked Chakwas, eyeing him.

"Not until Shepard tells me to," laughed Joker as Chakwas rolled her eyes.

"Alright then," said Chakwas, reclining in her seat, "My eldest Rosemary is a botanist, Quinton is a mechanic like his father, Olivia is a nurse and my youngest Lila is a pharmacist."

"Wow," said Joker, "talk about ambitious children."

"I'm proud of all of them," said Chakwas warmly, "I miss them terribly but they know I have a duty to the Alliance and this crew as they do to their respective careers and families. We do make sure to see each other at Christmas though, even if it means for me to just be speaking to them through a hologram console, at least I'm there with them in some way."

"We'll make sure you're there for real this year," said Joker sternly, sitting up now, "or we'll bring them to you."

"That's very sweet, Jeff," said Chakwas smiling at him, "but I could never ask the Commander to do something like that, it's too much of a favor that I don't feel I've earned."

"You brought her back," said Joker quietly, "I think you've earned a big favor or two."

"I'll think about it," said Chakwas, helping him stand, "but right now, you have to get this ship to Disnea and save the galaxy yet again."

"Don't remind me," mumbled Joker, his mind now filled with scenarios of the upcoming battle, most ending in a fiery explosion. He hugged Chakwas and left the medbay, trying to calm his racing heart as he took the elevator down to the bridge, not exactly eager to get this mission underway.

* * *

Joker sat in his chair, looking at the console in front of him but not really seeing the information or the controls, instead he was trying to push the idea of Elissa running into battle yet again as far away from his mind as he possibly could right now. For as long as they had been working together he had feared for her life, even more so after what the Collectors had done to the SR-1, and now that he had more to lose it was harder to willingly let her go.

"Mr. Moreau," said EDI from the co-pilot's chair, "are you alright? Your bio readings indicate you are under stress."

"No, EDI, I'm not alright," said Joker bitterly as he started the initiation sequence, "I'm scared as hell."

"Why? The Commander is more than capable of taking care of herself," replied EDI, bringing up her own controls, mimicking Joker's hand movements.

"Just because she's capable doesn't mean I can't worry about her," snapped Joker, he was already under enough pressure to navigate to a practically uncharted world while staying under the radar so they could go undetected by the Ardat-Yakshi all while worrying that his girlfriend might end up a smear on the wall.

"That is true," said EDI quietly, he knew she had detected the tone in his voice, that she knew she had pissed him off but he was not ready to apologize just yet.

"Setting course for the Disnea cluster," said Joker and he heard soft footfalls behind him, he knew it was either Samara or Kasumi, neither made much noise while walking.

"Joker," said Samara, standing beside him, looking at the star map on his screen, "set course for Lesuss, we need to pick up my daughter and talk with some of the other Ardat-Yakshi that are still at the monastery."

"Does Shepard know about this?" asked Joker, hesitantly changing the course, not wanting to go against Elissa's initial orders.

"Yes, I'm aware of the change," said Elissa, walking up behind them already in her armor, "Samara and I discussed it at length after my appointment with Chakwas and we both agree we're going to need all of the help we can get. Convincing some of the other Ardat-Yakshi to join us is the only way we stand a fighting chance."

Joker felt a pit in his stomach, hearing that they needed an army of their own to combat this growing one made him almost sick, nothing about this mission was going to be easy and he knew it just as the rest of the crew knew it as well.

"I will be in my quarters meditating if you need me, Shepard," said Samara, as she exited the bridge.

"EDI, could you give Shepard and I some privacy?" asked Joker quietly, and the AI robot nodded before standing up.

"Of course, Mr. Moreau, I will be by the galaxy map when you are finished," said EDI as she left and Joker closed the doors the second she was through.

"What's up?" asked Elissa, sitting down in EDI's vacated chair, looking at Joker with concern and curiosity.

"I'm worried about you." said Joker, quietly.

Elissa nearly sighed with relief, "Why're you worried? You never worry."

"Ellie, I've always worried about you," said Joker, trying not to show how much he actually worried about her, "I sit here, watching you face God knows what, and I feel completely useless until you emerge from whatever base or cave you were in."

"Jeff, there's nothing to worry about, I promise you that," said Elissa seriously, moving to stand beside him as he turned around to face her.

"You just said we have to recruit what remaining Ardat-Yakshi there are in order to fight the army of two hundred," whispered Joker, trying to keep his emotions in check.

Elissa could see why there was a need to worry but she could not let herself or him get worked up over the situation, "Jeff, listen to me, we've faced much more with a lot less and right now I need you at your best. We might be using the _Normandy_ as part of this attack, and I can't have the Alliance's best pilot worrying about me."

Joker stood and embraced her, not minding that her armor was digging into his skin, instead he focused on the feeling of her arms around his torso and his lips resting against her forehead, he released her a few seconds later, "I'll never stop worrying about you, but I'll try not to let it affect my work too much. I love you."

"I love you, too," said Elissa, kissing him softly, "And I'll never stop worrying about you, so I guess we're even."

"Guess so," said Joker, sitting back down in his chair, the pit in his stomach lessening as he watched her leave the cockpit and EDI returned a few seconds later, resuming her post.

"Your stress levels have decreased since your talk with Shepard," said EDI as she brought her console back online, "I assume you are reassured in her success?"

"You could say that," said Joker smiling as he put in the coordinates for Lesuss, "By the way, EDI, I'm sorry for snapping at you before I was just overly stressed."

"Apology accepted, Mr. Moreau," said EDI and Joker shook his head, he would have to speak with Elissa about EDI and making her feel like part of the crew again.

"Ready to head to Lesuss?" asked Joker, feeling renewed, determined to get the crew there in one piece and then get them home in the same condition.

"Fully prepared and operational, Mr. Moreau," said EDI and Joker smiled, for a second she sounded like she had before their relationship ended and he counted that as a small victory.

* * *

"Approaching Lesuss, Commander," said Joker over the intercom, a couple of hours later, he was glad at least that the possibility of combat on this planet was unlikely compared to what was waiting for them on Lilonani.

"Thanks, Joker," said Elissa as she walked onto the bridge, "EDI, inform Garrus and Samara, tell them to be ready and at the shuttle in five minutes."

"Of course, Commander," said EDI, standing up, "I will take this as an opportunity to, how is it said, stretch my legs?"

"That's fine, EDI," said Elissa smiling as EDI left the bridge and she sat down next to Joker in the co-pilot's seat.

"She knows she can just use the intercom, right?" asked Joker as he prepared the Normandy to enter the gravitational pull of the planet.

"I think she wants to get more of a feel for interacting with organics," said Elissa adjusting her gloves, tempted to remove them and pick her nails, she was nervous about what they were going to find down there and if any of the Ardat-Yakshi would be on their side.

"Yeah, maybe, she's gotten better at it than before," said Joker, scanning the numbers that popped up on the screen, "Commander, there seems to be a distress beacon of some kind coming from Lesuss."

"Impossible," said Elissa coming over to check the screens, "We would've intercepted it long before now, EDI would have told us about it."

"Here, listen to this," said Joker, bringing up the message imbedded in the signal ship wide, Falere's voice filling the quiet.

"Help! The monastery is under attack! They're taking us by force, some that resisted are dead! Please, if you get this, save us!" The message hit static and cut out. Even from sitting in the cockpit, Joker could sense that the atmosphere on the ship had just changed, the importance of this mission increasing with each passing second.

"Can you tell how long ago that beacon was sent out?" asked Elissa her mind reeling at the possibility they were already too late to save anyone.

"According to the data, about two days ago," said Joker and his breath hitched when he realized this attack had happened while they were on medical leave, "Ellie, this isn't your fault."

Elissa shook her head, "Of course it is, if I hadn't—"

"Don't start that crap," said Joker harshly, turning to face her, "Don't you dare blame yourself for this, blame Alenko, blame the Council but do not blame yourself."

Elissa blinked at him a few times, stunned that he had spoken to her that way but she knew he was right, even though she still felt completely at fault for the attack on the monastery, "You're right, Jeff, but I still feel responsible for finding answers."

"You do that," said Joker, taking her hand in his, "but the second you start blaming yourself, I'm going to have to administer corporal punishment."

Elissa gave him a coy smile, "Well, if that's the reward, then I might blame myself a little bit."

Joker gulped, that was not the answer he had been expecting, and he was not sure how to respond to what she had just said so he gaped at her instead while she threw her head back and laughed.

Garrus' voice cut through the intercom in the cockpit, "Shepard, you might want to get down here before Samara goes herself, she's trying to convince Cortez to take off."

"I'll be right down," said Elissa and she looked at Joker, "Keep the family safe."

"Don't I always?" remarked Joker smugly as Elissa kissed his cheek, "Come back in one piece."

"Don't I always?" called Elissa as she ran down the CIC, he feigned laughter until he heard her enter the elevator then he stopped and turned back to the consoles.

"No, not always," said Joker quietly and he flipped on the monitors on Elissa's, Garrus' and Samara's suits already seeing the inside of the shuttle as it prepared to leave, he leaned back into his chair and sighed, it was going to be a long mission.

* * *

"What do you think we'll find down there, Shepard?" asked Garrus as the shuttle flew towards Lesuss.

"Not sure," said Shepard quietly, looking at Samara whom was sitting down appearing to meditate even now, "hopefully we find clues."

"What clues?" asked Garrus, "We already know where they are and what their plan is, what else is there to find?"

"I'm not sure," said Elissa slightly exasperated with Garrus, "but I have a feeling there's something more to this than meets the eye."

"Possibly," said Garrus, the detective in him emerging, "I mean, why hit a monastery full of peaceful Ardat-Yakshi when there is apparently already two hundred non-friendly ones under one roof already?"

"Samara, are there records of all Ardat-Yakshi born?" asked Elissa, turning to the Justicar.

"Not usually," said Samara standing up, gripping the bar above her, "as I have said before, the emergence of such traits happens after an Asari has entered the stage of young adulthood and by then it is too late."

"Why is that of any importance, Shepard?" asked Garrus, adjusting his sniper rifle.

"I wanted to see if we could figure out where they might hit next and stop them there," said Elissa, "I'm not too crazy about flying to a planet where they have the home field advantage."

"You've done this before," said Garrus reassuringly, "Remember? We flew through the Omega four relay to fight the Collectors on their own base."

"Yeah," said Elissa giving a small smile, "I guess I have."

"Don't worry, Shepard, we'll get through this like we always have," said Garrus, nudging her with his shoulder.

"Rest assured, Shepard, this will turn out in our favor," said Samara, resting her hand on Elissa's shoulder.

Elissa smiled again, ordinarily she was not this worried about a mission but there was something unsettling about facing a huge army with only her small crew and no back up. She appreciated the support she was getting from her crew, it made her feel good they were still behind her all of the way even though they were flying blind in so many ways right now.

"Approaching the monastery, Commander," said Steve, putting in the landing sequence.

"Alright, thanks, Steve," said Elissa, steeling her mind against any negative thoughts about the mission that were creeping up on her. She needed to stay sharp, there could be anything waiting for them on the surface or in the monastery and in order to accomplish this successfully she needed to keep herself focused.

* * *

"Anything?" asked Miranda as she walked into the cockpit with Joker and EDI, she leaned against one of the consoles.

"They just touched down," said Joker, watching the monitor that showed the feed from Elissa's suit of armor.

"There are no readings of life on the planet's surface, other than those of the Commander, Mr. Vakarian, and Justicar Samara," said EDI from her seat and Joker felt a sense of relief, at least there was no danger of an ambush.

"You should tell Lola that," said James as he entered and stood behind Joker's chair.

"I have already relayed that information to the Commander, Lieutenant Vega," said EDI.

"How is she?" asked Hannah, Kasumi following behind her.

"The Commander is exhibiting levels of calm she has not displayed before on any critical mission," replied EDI and Hannah nodded, she had warmed to the AI more during Elissa's incarceration, when they had fought to keep the _Normandy_ out of Kaidan's hands.

"Shep's always been good under pressure," said Kasumi, sitting on the floor, watching the feed on the monitor.

"That's an understatement," mumbled Joker as he widened the monitors.

"Do you think Samara's daughter is alright?" asked Miranda, reading the minds of everyone standing there in the cockpit.

"Who knows," said Hannah quietly as she watched Elissa charge towards the doors of the monastery, resting against the closed door, looking in through the other door that was hanging on its hinges.

"This was the work of a Justicar," everyone heard Samara say.

"How can you tell?" asked Garrus, as they entered cautiously.

"Most biotics, even Ardat-Yakshi, hesitate to forcibly enter sacred places such as these," said Samara her voice hard, "Only Justicars are guiltless about entering these areas with violence and force."

"Why do the Ardat-Yakshi hesitate?" asked Elissa as they entered one of the rooms.

"I'm not sure," said Samara, "it's just an observation I've made during my years of hunting them down, even Morinth took enough care to use her own hands to open the doors to a sanctuary, once during one of our confrontations."

"She claimed sanctuary?" asked Garrus, not hiding the surprise in his voice.

"Of course, I was out to kill her, she wanted to live, it was the logical answer," replied Samara calmly as they walked up the stairs.

"I get the feeling something's about to happen," said Tali as she entered and stood beside Hannah, her mask fixed on the screen.

"I think we all have that feeling," said James quietly, they were all watching intently, no one's eyes flickered away from the screens as Elissa and the rest of the crew made their sweep of the monastery so far finding nothing out of the ordinary.

"Guess they took everyone," said Joker, resting his head in his hand, "even the bodies of the dead Ardat-Yakshi they shot up."

"They haven't left yet so Jackie probably thinks there is something more here," commented Hannah, who was now sitting on the ground next to Kasumi.

"One more section to search and then we're done," said Elissa her voice calm as she opened the door in front of her, the camera then focused on a mound on the floor. The crew in the cockpit had to focus their eyes on it before they realized it was a body.

"No!" shouted Samara, her voice broken, devastated as she rushed forward past Elissa, and gathered the body in her arms, "Falere, oh my sweet girl, I'm so sorry."

Everyone in the cockpit hung their heads, this was not the outcome they had been hoping for, they had all been secretly hoping Falere had made it so Samara would have someone left to call her 'Mother.'

"Samara," said Elissa softly as she knelt down beside the Justicar, she put her hand on her shoulder, "I'm so sorry."

"It's alright, Shepard," said Samara weakly as she held Falere closer to her form, "I just want some time—"

The room was suddenly full of coughing and rattled breathing, cutting Samara off completely, the crew looked up and saw through the camera Falere's eyes flutter open feebly.

"Joker, tell Chakwas to prepare the medbay!" said Elissa through her ear piece, "We're bringing Falere back with us and she's critically injured."

"Aye, aye, Commander," said Joker, patching into the medbay's intercom, "Chakwas, Shepard's bringing back an injured Asari, tell Liara and prepare the medbay."

"Of course, Joker," said Chakwas.

"Thank heaven," Joker heard Miranda say beside him and he nodded, she had said it all for them.

"I'm going down to meet them," said Hannah and the rest followed behind her except James who stayed to watch the ground team's progress back to the shuttle.

"We might actually have a happy ending here, Joker," said James smiling as he clapped Joker on the shoulder.

"It's not the first time," said Joker, unable to contain his grin, although they had missed the attack by two days, they were still able to save the one that mattered most to Samara and that was a victory.

"No, but they're becoming few and far between," said James, and Joker could see the ghost of a smile on his face.

"Don't worry, big guy, there'll be plenty more moments like this," said Joker, uncharacteristically optimistic for once, this had been their biggest victory since the Reapers and he was not about to let the details of what was to come kill his mood.

"Whatever you say, _amigo_," said James, "I'm going to head to the mess, Rupert's making some kind of fireball chili and he bet me fifteen credits I couldn't finish a bowl."

"Damn, James, you know you can't die on us right?" laughed Joker as he brought up the consoles instead of the camera monitors.

"Hey, who said I would die?" asked James, pretending to be offended.

"I can just see your headstone now," said Joker, ignoring James' question, "Here lies Lieutenant James Vega, N7 drill instructor, helped take down the Reapers, defeated by Rupert's fireball chili."

"Ah, screw you, _pendejo_," laughed James as he left the cockpit.

Joker smiled to himself as he punched in the sequence to open the doors for the shuttle, although they had an army to fight soon, it felt good to have at least one victory under their belt before the showdown.


	22. Horseshoes

Elissa and Joker sat beside Samara outside of the medbay, the rest of crew spread out around the mess hall, all waiting for news on Falere's condition since she had been rushed to the operating room almost an hour ago. Samara's usual calm demeanor seemed to have shattered the instant she saw Falere taken away on the stretcher, she had held herself together on the way to the shuttle from the monastery and even while sitting on the ground with Falere in her embrace. She had spent the last hour periodically weeping for her daughter, _'Even the most calm and level headed of people can be broken when their child is injured'_ Elissa reasoned as she handed Samara another tissue.

"Samara, is there anything we can get you?" asked Joker, looking to Elissa for any clue as to what to do about this situation.

"No, Joker, you and Shepard have done quite enough," said Samara smiling weakly at him, he could see on her eyes the same pain that he had seen in Hannah's eyes when Elissa had been smashed against the pavement and after she had gotten shot.

"She'll pull through this, Samara," said Elissa encouragingly, "She's a fighter like you are, you'll see." Samara sighed heavily, Elissa could only imagine the immense pain she was feeling in her heart at this moment, she hoped against hope this really would turn out in a positive way but after seeing Falere it almost appeared to be a lost cause.

"Samara, look," said Kasumi gently, the Justicar looked up at the thief and then where she was pointing, Chakwas had just emerged from the medbay, she looked weary but triumphant.

"Samara," said Chakwas and Samara rose from the table, even now her majesty was undeniable, "She's going to make a full recovery, she's weak and sustained a great deal of blood loss, but she'll pull through."

Everyone in the mess cheered, this was the outcome they had been hoping for the entire wait, Samara was practically glowing with happiness as she took in the news that her only living daughter would survive her ordeal.

"Go to her, Samara," said Garrus from behind and they all watched happily as Samara entered the medbay with Chakwas, whom then closed the shutters to allow privacy for the mother and daughter.

"Guess we should get back to work," said Joker and as the crew prepared to leave the mess they heard James gagging, Joker turned and burst out laughing at James' face, he had just taken a bite of Rupert's fireball chili and apparently it was too much for him.

"Geez, James, I thought you had already done that challenge," said Joker as he calmed himself down.

"I didn't want to. . . . do it earlier. . . .out of respect. . . ." wheezed James as he breathed heavily, trying to douse the fire in his mouth, he then took the glass of water sitting beside his bowl, even that did nothing to quell the burning.

"Try milk, James," said Elissa as she tried to hide her grin behind her hand. James gave her a thumbs up as he reached for the canister of milk in Rupert's fridge, pouring it straight down his throat, his shirt and the floor becoming soaked with the milk that missed his mouth.

"I better stay and help him clean up," sighed Miranda, walking towards James, shaking her head in amusement.

"We better head back up to CIC," said Elissa to the rest, "or have we all forgotten that there's an army to stop? Garrus, you and Miranda are with me, I'll speak with Samara before we get there about whether or not she wants to accompany us."

"Of course, Shepard," said Garrus as he summoned the elevator, "I'll tell Miranda just as soon as Vega's skin has turned its normal color again." They all turned around and saw that James' skin had indeed flushed bright red and his eyes were streaming with tears as he took another bite of the chili.

"He'll do anything for fifteen credits," sighed Steve as he watched James nearly choke on the second bite.

"Nah, he'll do anything for the bragging rights," said Joker, trying not to laugh as Miranda held onto James' hand as if he were giving birth instead of trying to beat the pain of the chili.

"I'm going to ask Rupert what he put in that stuff," said Tali, shocked that James was going for a third bite when it was obviously a painful experience.

"You do that and I'll just avoid it," said Elissa smiling as the door pinged and the elevator doors opened, "Lets go fight an army."

"Yeah, thanks for reminding me," sighed Joker and Elissa took his hand, squeezing it lightly as they stepped into the elevator with the rest of the ground team, he was still less than eager to continue this mission.

* * *

"Coming up on Lilonani," said Joker a couple of hours later as Lilonani entered his field of vision, it was a beautiful looking planet, with features like Earth but it appeared there were lava fields scattered around on the land.

"Mr. Moreau," said EDI, "I am afraid it will be most difficult to fly the _Normandy_ on Lilonani, there are many active volcanoes that are erupting at various intervals, some of them firing lava as high as the atmosphere."

Joker groaned, "Just tell me something EDI, if I have to make an emergency evac, will I be able to?"

"If it is well timed, then yes," replied EDI sounding almost cheerful. Joker covered his face with his cap to hide his disappointment, he had wanted to hear that it would have to be fast not well timed, if something had to be well timed that meant Elissa and the ground team might be waiting around for a long time and that could mean the difference between life and death.

"Hey," said Elissa from behind, Joker spun around, glad to see her before she left for the mission, "We're just about ready to go, Steve's making sure the kinetic barriers on the shuttle will hold against the lava."

Joker felt the pit in his stomach again as he looked at her, he could tell she was nervous by the way the light in her eyes had dimmed, but her face was brave and he knew she was ready for whatever this mission was going to throw at them.

"Wait, how did he . . ." started Joker and he looked at EDI, who winked at him, and he knew it was her who had sent the information about the lava fields to Steve.

"How did he what?" asked Elissa, confused a little.

"It's nothing, Ellie," said Joker smiling a little as she leaned down to kiss him, for a brief moment he felt sweet relief of the fear and anxiety that was churning in his stomach, when she pulled away he looked at her, "Please be safe."

"I will be," promised Elissa, stroking his beard with her gloved fingers.

"Shepard," said Steve through the intercom, "We're ready to leave. Samara, Miranda, and Garrus are all waiting for you."

"I take it Samara wanted to go with you after all?" asked Joker, genuinely surprised, and now even more fearful for her life.

"Yeah," said Elissa trying to sound like nothing was wrong but she could not ignore the emptiness in her gut, the last time she and Samara had come face to face with Ardat-Yakshi it had almost ended in the death of not only Samara but for Falere the rest of girls at the monastery.

Joker pulled her down to his level, pressing his forehead against hers, not wanting to let go just yet, "I love you, Elissa."

Elissa fought against the tears, though she wished she could lose it and cry, "I love you, too, Jeff." She pulled away, and turned her back to him, unable to face him as she walked away from the man she loved.

"You better come back," said Joker as she walked away, she stopped and turned her head to look at him, "That's an order, Commander."

"Since when did you start giving orders?" asked Elissa quietly, smiling softly at him.

"Since I found out I'm going to have to pull your ass out of a lava pit again," replied Joker and Elissa laughed, he felt good to hear her laugh again, it had been too long. She turned around again and left the bridge heading towards the elevator, Joker mentally went through the map of where she was going to have to go in order to get to the shuttle, to him it was a way of calming down since he knew exactly where she was at least while she was on the ship.

"Mr. Moreau," said EDI, "Although your heart is racing, you seem to be a ease, is this normal for organics?"

"Sometimes," said Joker as he prepped the _Normandy_ for the shuttle's departure, "Whenever humans are put in a crisis, like this crew often is, we can feel nervous all we want but we keep a level head and get the job done."

"I see," said EDI, "So while you might be scared about the well being of the Commander, you know you have a job to do, and you do your job despite your actual emotions regarding the mission even if your emotions may interfere with your job performance. That seems like a very hypocritical system."

Joker laughed, "That's the human race's claim to fame: hypocrisy."

He looked out of the windshield and saw the shuttle flying away towards Lilonani and Joker swallowed hard, how he was going to make it through these next few hours without completely losing his mind he did not know, but it would be nothing short of a miracle.

* * *

Elissa pulled off her glove and started to pick her nails, thinking about what they might find when they get down there, how much of a battle they were actually going to face and if they were all going to make it back in one piece.

"You shouldn't do that," said Miranda through the helmet she was wearing, watching Elissa as she picked her nails, "It's your tell, we all know you're nervous when you start to pick your nails."

Elissa looked up at Miranda through her own helmet and reluctantly put her glove back on, she was right, she needed to show strength right now, "I'll keep that in mind, Mira, thanks."

"Lisa, we'll make it through this," said Miranda kindly, "Then we'll find out why Cerberus is interfering in your life then you and Joker can ride off and live happily ever after."

Elissa laughed, "I wish it was that easy. Have you found anything on that message?"

"Not yet, but there are some promising leads," replied Miranda, "I'm running a few tests as we speak, I'll let you know as soon as I have some new results."

"Thanks, Mira," said Elissa and she turned to Samara who was looking out of the window at the emptiness of space, "Are you going to be alright, Samara?"

"What do you mean, Shepard?" asked Samara quietly.

"The last time we did something like this, I had to prevent you from shooting yourself," said Elissa, her eyes narrowed, "Is your code going to interfere again? Are you going to try and kill innocent people?"

"Ardat-Yakshi are not innocent," replied Samara, "Their very existence is a crime that must be corrected."

"Your own daughter is an Ardat-Yakshi," said Garrus bitterly, "How can you say something like that and expect us to be sympathetic?"

"I don't expect your sympathy," replied Samara, "All I expect is Shepard will allow me to do what is right when the time comes."

"I'm not about to let you slaughter innocents who's only crime was being born," growled Elissa as she stood up, now second guessing asking Samara to come with her on the mission.

"That is not for you to decide," said Samara softly, "They left the monastery where they were expected to stay, only there were they safe from me, now they are a willing target."

Elissa's face contorted with rage, "They did not willingly leave the monastery! They were taken, and if you are going to be a hinderance on this mission, I will have Steve take you back and you can watch while I go against your code! I'm not about to let you kill anyone who hasn't committed an actual crime."

Samara looked as if she were going to protest and argue with Elissa but she said nothing of the sort, "I'm sorry, Shepard, this situation is rather difficult for me. I have my duties as a Justicar to uphold yet I am the mother to what I have sword to destroy, you can see where this is a conflict of interest, I will not interfere with your decision be it mercy or destruction."

"Thank you, Samara, I know this is difficult for you," said Elissa, putting her hand on her friend's shoulder, "I hope we don't have to make too many devastating decisions, not only for your sake but for the sake of those girls that were kidnapped."

"I share that hope as well, Shepard," said Samara, turning away from her friend. The group remained quiet the rest of the journey, each mentally preparing for what was to come, hoping this would turn out much better than how it was looking at the moment.

* * *

"Oh dear God," groaned Joker when he saw the planet's surface through Elissa's helmet camera, "Why can she never go to a nice beach? Why do the places she ends up always have to involve lava or a poisonous atmosphere?"

"Well, Mr. Moreau . . ." started EDI before Joker cut in.

"That was rhetorical, EDI, meaning do-not-answer," said Joker silencing EDI, he was not in the mood for any of her input right now.

"Heard Shepard just landed planetside," said Jacob as he and Kasumi walked onto the bridge, "What's the situation?"

"How did you know that?" asked Joker and then he saw Kasumi silently giggling, he knew she had been spying on him the entire time and went to tell Jacob what she had found out.

"A little bird told me," smirked Jacob, his eyes darting to Kasumi, and Joker nodded in understanding, "So where's Shepard headed, she isn't flying too blind I hope?"

"I have already forwarded the Commander a possible location for the Ardat-Yakshi hideout," replied EDI, "There was a massive biotics reading in that area, which seemed the most likely place for the army to be hiding out."

"Lets hope Shepard's ready for this," sighed Jacob as he made himself comfortable on the floor, Kasumi sitting down next to him, they smiled at each other and Joker rolled his eyes, those two had always had the strangest of relationships.

"If I know my daughter, she's already two steps ahead of them," said Hannah as she entered, "and has a plan for getting her ass out of the fire."

"That's my area of expertise, Hannah," said Joker, grinning up at Hannah as she stood behind him, her eyes now fixed on the screens.

"That plan better involve getting Garrus out of there as well, Joker," said Tali sternly as she entered, standing next to EDI, her helmet turned to the screens.

"You know it does, Tali," sighed Joker, though he smiled, it was cute to him that she worried about Garrus the same way he worried about Elissa.

"Good," said Tali, and the room grew quiet as Elissa and the rest of the ground team made it to what looked like an abandoned mining shaft.

"Why would the Ardat-Yakshi put their army here, I wonder," said Miranda as they crept closer to the door, obviously keeping an eye out for any kind of defense mechanisms.

"Makes more sense than keeping them near a bubbling pool of lava," commented Garrus, "Mechs! Get down!"

The sounds of gunfire filled the room as they fired upon the mechs, bringing down the machines easily, after the last mech had fallen Elissa and Garrus went around collecting more ammunition with Miranda and Samara bringing up the rear.

"They probably know we're here," said Elissa, "Come on, lets get inside." The group walked to the door of the mine shaft and Miranda was quick to bypass the lock on the door, they entered quietly and removed their helmets.

"Where should we start looking?" asked Garrus, checking his omni-tool for the map EDI had forwarded them of the facility, "This place is huge."

"The center of the facility is more than likely where Remaldia is," said Samara reloading her pistol, "but there are many room between here and there, perhaps we can find out more about her plans for this army."

"Alright, we'll also keep an eye out for survivors," said Elissa as she checked her own map, her brow crinkling when she saw how many room there were in this facility. They started off down the hallway, keeping an eye out for more mechs or other means of security.

"What do you think this Remaldia has planned?" asked Kasumi as a general question to everyone in the room, the silence of her companions deafening.

"We already know about Illium and Thessia," said Jacob, "What more do you think there might be?"

"It doesn't seem weird to you that all of these dangerous Asari are able to congregate in one area and no one say a word?" asked Kasumi, adjusting her hood, "I mean, from what I've gathered, they are watched by the government on Thessia through the monastery which was designed specifically for Ardat-Yakshi."

Joker frowned, this entire situation felt too much like a trap for his own comfort, "I doubt it was Samara who set this up, but maybe Falere, I mean she was the only Ardat-Yakshi not taken, and in her distress call she said they were taking even the dead bodies."

"You're right," said Tali thoughtfully as she watched Garrus' screen, "You know, if we're all thinking this, maybe Lisa is too. Do you think she brought Samara along for an ulterior reason? I mean, why didn't she just take Liara or even James for that matter, both would be an excellent choice instead of Samara."

"Because I am pregnant and James lacks the same finesse that Samara possesses," said Liara, Joker turned and looked at her, amazed that her stomach had grown even more in these last few days.

"I guess you're right Liara," said Tali slightly disgruntled at having been outsmarted by Liara, "Have you spoken to Falere?"

"No, I have not had the chance," said Liara, she seemed tired and breathless, "Is there a chair I could borrow? I need to sit down."

Joker was about to stand when EDI said, "Take mine, Dr. T'Soni, you are in more need of it than I am currently."

"Thank you, EDI," said Liara grateful at the AI's kindness, she sat down, her hands folded on her belly a smile of relief ghosting her face, "Back to your comment, Joker, it does seem strange that the people who attacked the monastery left behind an injured Ardat-Yakshi, and she just happened to be the last living daughter of a powerful Justicar."

"So you think this is a trap too?" asked Joker, taking off his cap, running his fingers through his hair as he watched the screens.

"It's got every element a trap needs," continued Liara, "It has bait, a target, and a situation that would appeal to the target. What I am not sure of is if this is a trap meant for Lisa or for Samara."

"You have a point there," said Jacob, rubbing his tired eyes, "I mean the bait could be either Falere or the girls taken from the monastery, one would appeal to Samara the other to Shepard either one ensuring the emotional involvement of both women. Then the situation is also designed to get the notice of both Shepard and Samara; massive colonies being attacked by a powerful army would definitely get Shepard's undivided attention whereas a gathering of the creatures Samara is sworn to destroy in one secluded area would be her obvious motivation."

"You guys do realize none of what you're saying is making me feel any better about this situation, right?" snorted Joker, he too had been thinking this all seemed to coincidental, even Samara's arrival seemed planned.

"I think Tali's right," said Hannah speaking calmly despite her concern that her daughter's friends were right about this being a trap, "Jackie probably knows she's being set up and is coming up with a plan to counteract what's being cooked up."

"Do you think it's Samara who's planned this?" asked Kasumi, "I found nothing when I went through her messages, but I mean, you never know . . ."

"Wait, you went through her messages, why?" asked Joker, spinning around to face Kasumi, not exactly surprised since she went through everyone's underwear drawer, he was more concerned that she had gone through a trusted friend's messages seemingly without a decent reason.

"Of course," said Kasumi, taken aback, "Shep asked me to when Samara first came back on board, after she asked Liara to recheck the intel she had gotten from her source."

"I don't remember that conversation," said Joker, raising an eyebrow at the master thief.

"Just because you don't remember it happening doesn't mean it didn't happen," said Kasumi, a wicked smile on her face, Joker decided not to ask her what else she knew.

Elissa's voice echoed through the cockpit, "Oh my God."

The crew turned their attention to the screens though they immediately wished they had not done so, the entire room was filled with piles of dead bodies, many looked to be Asari though there were Hanar, Turian, human, and even Salarian.

"What the hell happened here?" asked Garrus as he crouched down closer to one of the bodies in order to examine it closer, "There are no ligature marks, no signs of a struggle, the bodies are completely clean."

"These are the unlucky victims of the Ardat-Yakshi," said Samara, her tone suggesting she was about to say 'I told you so.'

"Why? Why would they kill so many people?" asked Elissa, horrified at the tragic scene in front of her.

"When an Ardat-Yakshi is first discovered, it is usually before they first experience sexual intercourse," said Samara, sidestepping a body as she followed Elissa down a narrow path made down the center of the room, Garrus and Miranda staying behind to collect information, "If she remains undiscovered and has intercourse with another, she will become addicted to the high produced by the kill, and want to continue doing so. Sex and the murdering of the partner for an Ardat-Yakshi works the same as drugs and performance enhancing steroids on a human being."

"So they become addicted to killing and the high makes them a better killer as a result," summarized Elissa, her tone hard, "Is that what you're trying to say?"

"More or less so," said Samara, "Remaldia is trying to hone these skills in the Ardat-Yakshi in her army, that is why there are so many dead. Do you still think they are worth saving, Shepard?"

Elissa sighed heavily, "You're really starting to piss me off, Samara."

"I apologize, Shepard, that was not my intention," said Samara quietly as they stood by the exit, waiting for Garrus and Miranda to catch up with them before proceeding into the next room, thankfully there were not any bodies in this one.

"Keelah," whispered Tali, sitting down slowly, the shock overwhelming her. Hannah sat down next to her, wrapping her arms around Tali, hugging her close trying her best to comfort the young Quarian.

Joker had buried his face in his hands at some point, the body count was far too high and he could tell they had been unwilling victims in the Ardat-Yakshi training session, "How . . . why . . . God, why?"

"You never get used to seeing dead bodies, especially those of innocents," said Jacob quietly, "When this is over, we should try to find out who those poor bastards were and get their bodies shipped home."

"I agree," said Liara, tears rolling down her cheeks, "I can't believe someone could have done something as disgusting and vile as murdering people for the sake of making a powerful army." Liara suddenly hissed, a sharp pain shooting up her spine, she tried to move herself into a more comfortable position but that did not alleviate the pain instead it made it much worse.

Joker noticed Liara's sharp breath and the pain written all over her face, "Are you in labor? Do you need us to get Chakwas?"

"No, I'm not in labor," said Liara breathlessly, "but you should get Chakwas, I'm not sure why my I'm feeling this way."

Joker reached for the comm button when he heard running footsteps, spinning around he saw Chakwas sprinting through the CIC and was in the cockpit in almost no time, "Hey, Doc, we were just about to call you, Liara—"

"There's something wrong with Falere," wheezed Chakwas, she was bent over with her hands on her knees trying to catch her breath before continuing.

"What's wrong with her?" asked Kasumi.

"Her wounds . . . are healing much faster . . . than they should be," said Chakwas, managing to catch her breath, "Not even normal Asari heal this fast."

"This sounds like something we need to check out," said Jacob, standing up, "Liara, you stay here with Joker; EDI, Kasumi, Hannah, Tali, you're with me; Chakwas, I suggest you wait a few minutes before following after us."

"You don't seriously think . . .?" asked Joker cautiously.

"I don't know what to think," sighed Jacob, "but if something's wrong, we should look into it, even if it's minor."

"Yeah, we don't need another Collector incident," scoffed Joker, "You should find James, I don't think he'd forgive us if we left him out of the fun."

Jacob laughed, "You have a point there, we'll be back shortly, c'mon everyone."

The women stood up and followed Jacob out of the cockpit, and Joker watched them go, a sense of dread creeping up on him.

"I have a really bad feeling about this," whispered Joker as he turned back to the console, bringing up the feed from the medbay along with the feed from the ground team's armor, he wanted to make sure if there was any problem he would be there to see it and possibly do something to help before it was too late.


	23. And Hand Grenades

**A/N: *phew* Finally have it done, thanks for the patience everyone, this has been a crazy month. I hope this lives up to your expectations, again I apologize for the delay, you all are amazing. :)**

* * *

Joker felt torn, while he wanted to watch Elissa as she traveled through the facility he knew he also needed to keep an eye on the group going to the medbay, _'God, why? Why did this have to happen?'_ he thought as he maximized the screen with feed from the medbay.

"Joker, we'll make it through this," said Liara, as if reading his mind, "Lisa won't let anything happen to us, or to the ship, you know that."

"I know," groaned Joker, he then turned his eyes back to the screen and watched as the group entered, guns raised at Falere who was laying on one of the beds. She was hooked up to monitors for her heart and breathing rate, she was also wearing a clear mask over her mouth and nose, to everyone around she looked harmless.

"Chakwas," said Jacob, lowering his pistol, "What exactly is wrong with Falere that concerns you? From what I see, she seems to be fine."

"Do you see this small scar?" asked Chakwas and the group nodded, "It used to run from her wrist to her elbow and was three inches wide." She brought up a picture of it on her omni-tool and everyone looked before raising their guns once again.

"What do we do?" asked Tali.

"I'm not sure," admitted Chakwas, "I'm truly at a loss, I have never seen an Asari body react like this, and although Ardat-Yakshi are powerful, from my research it's only their reproductive abilities that are hindered by their mutation. Perhaps there is another reason for her rapid health regeneration."

"What's that?" asked Hannah indicating with her pistol a soft glow coming from behind Falere's head.

Chakwas gingerly raised Falere's head, careful not to disturb the tubes or wires and her eyes went wide, "There's something wedged in her neck, at the base of the occipital bone, just above her spine."

Tali looked over and gasped, "That looks like what the Leviathan used to control those miners, though it's a lot smaller."

"So this is some kind of mind control device?" asked Chakwas as she placed Falere's head back on the pillow, "Can it be removed?"

"We've encountered those artifacts before, but not with Asari being involved," said Jacob, looking over as well, "we were able to stop the original devices by blowing them up, but since this one is so much smaller and attached to Falere, I doubt it can be removed easily. I think we should radio Shepard, let her know this situation just got a lot worse."

"What should we do about Falere?" asked Tali, "I mean, what's keeping her from waking up and killing us all?"

"Thanks for the comforting thought, Tali," said Kasumi sarcastically.

"I believe it is the anesthesia that is preventing Falere from awakening," replied EDI, "however, my scans indicate that with her body repairing itself as it is, she will more than likely overcome the effects of the anesthesia and what will happen from there is unknown."

"Comforting," sighed Jacob, "Either way, we need to inform Shepard that indoctrination is at work here, EDI that'll be your responsibility. Kasumi, you go and find James, we need all of the muscle and firepower we can get if Falere becomes what I think she'll become."

"What do you think she'll become?" asked Hannah, never having encountered a situation like this one.

"When the Reapers indoctrinated the Asari before, including the Ardat-Yakshi, they became these creatures called Banshees" said Tali, a chill running down her spine as she remembered the horrible noise those creatures made.

"Sounds pleasant," snorted Hannah, convinced now that her daughter needed to get back on the ship as soon as possible.

"EDI, Kasumi, you have your assignments," said Jacob sternly, "The rest of us will remain here and guard Falere, if anything happens the priority is protecting the ship."

"You guys know I can message Shepard and James, right?" asked Joker over the intercom, slightly amused.

"Sorry, Joker," said Hannah, smiling, "Can you please relay that message to Jackie? Oh and what's the squad's status?"

"They haven't found anymore bodies, if that's what you mean," replied Joker grimly, "They've encountered a few Commandos and a shit ton of mechs, right now they're getting ready to enter this locked room if Miranda could get the lock over ridden. Anyway, I'll tell Shepard about the crystal thing in Falere's neck and Kasumi go wake up James, he's passed out in the lounge."

"Aye, aye, Joker," said Kasumi and she ran off to the lounge to find James.

Joker chuckled to himself as he watched Kasumi run off towards the lounge, then he turned back to the monitors, his stomach in knots as he watched Elissa running towards what appeared to be the center of the facility.

* * *

"I sense that Remaldia is close," said Samara as they neared the door.

"Good," said Elissa as she looked down the hallway, "the sooner we get this over with the better we'll all be. Joker, be ready for—"

"Shepard?" said Joker, sitting up in his chair, pressing the intercom button, "Shepard? Are you there? Ellie? Elissa, please respond."

"Joker? Joker?" said Elissa, pressing her ear piece, "Come in, Joker. Damn it, Jeff answer me."

"Something wrong, Shepard?" asked Garrus as they entered the room.

"Communications are being jammed," said Elissa, "we're going to have to find the source and get rid of it, but until then we're on our own."

"So no emergency evac, I take it?" sighed Miranda.

"Not unless we get rid of the communications jam," said Elissa sharply, cocking her assault rifle, "Come on, the sooner we get to Remaldia the sooner we can get the hell out of here."

"Hear, hear," said Garrus, flexing his mandibles in a halfhearted attempt at a smile.

"Shepard," said Samara, putting her hand on Elissa's shoulder, "we need to discuss what is going to happen to the Ardat-Yakshi. I know how you operate, your main objective has always been to ensure that all survivors get out safely but we may have to face the reality that you won't be able to save everyone."

"Samara, I don't have time for this," said Elissa harshly, "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it but until then, we are under the assumption that we'll be able to save everyone we can."

"An admirable idea, Shepard, but you know what humans say about assuming: it makes an ass out of you and me," said Garrus, smirking in his own way when he saw the corners of Elissa's mouth twitch in an almost smile.

"As long as it makes you look more like an ass than me, I'm okay with that," said Elissa dryly as Miranda opened the door closest to them, they entered through, Garrus and Elissa in the lead with Samara and Miranda bringing up the rear. The room was dark and from what Elissa could tell, the room was far larger than meets the eye, she turned on the light at the end of her rifle and scoped the room as best she could grateful when the other three also turned on their beams. They walked carefully to the center of the room, each sound sending a small chill of panic down Elissa's spine, she heard a hissing noise to her left, and moved to further investigate the source of the sound.

"Find anything, Shepard?" asked Garrus quietly as he watched her move further from the group, he followed her at a distance.

"I think so," said Elissa softly as she approached what appeared to be pipelines lining the wall, "It looks like gas lines of some sort, and from the sounds of it, there's a leak."

"Isn't that dangerous?" asked Garrus as he stood next to her, also examining the pipelines, "I mean, we are close to several lava pits, wouldn't the heat from the molten lava and the gas that's escaping from these pipes cause an explosion?"

"Hell, Garrus, if we fired a few shots in here we'd cause an explosion," observed Elissa, trying to determine how much time they would actually have if these pipelines did in fact become ignited.

"Why is this relevant to our mission, Shepard?" asked Samara from behind.

"Well, Samara, if we get backed into this room while taking heavy fire we might burn ourselves to a crisp trying to get out of here," said Elissa dryly.

"Point taken," sighed Samara as they headed towards a door on the far wall, "I believe if we head through this door, we should find Remaldia and her army."

"Hopefully we can find the source of our communications jam," said Miranda.

"Lets finish this," said Elissa, her Commander voice echoing in the empty room as Miranda cautiously opened the door, they entered in a single file line, Garrus leading as she followed Samara inside she found herself thinking of Joker and the _Normandy_ hoping both were safe and ready for action.

* * *

"Oh you've got to be fucking kidding me," muttered Joker angrily as he stared up at the black screens and listened to the static coming through the communications channel.

"Joker, what's happened?" asked Liara worriedly, rubbing her belly.

"Something's cut communications, I can't get in touch with Shepard or the ground team," said Joker, running tests to try and determine where the jamming signal was being sent from. "God dammit!"

"What?!" exclaimed Liara, trying to stand but Joker motioned for her to remain seated.

"The signal's coming from the planet's surface, but there's so much interference I can't get a clear position," snarled Joker, very tempted to slam his fists against his armrests though he knew it would fracture some of his bones.

"What's going on in the medbay?" asked Liara, trying to see the monitor to Joker's left, though she could not lift herself fully from the chair.

"Last I heard, Falere has some glowing rock in the back of her neck," said Joker, glancing over at the monitor, somewhat relieved to see James standing there with his personal weapon of choice.

"A what?" asked Liara, her eyebrow raised slightly, a puzzled look on her face.

"I don't know, something about Leviathan and a glowing rock on Falere's neck," said Joker though slightly gritted teeth, as much as he was worried about what might happen with Falere, he was more concerned about Elissa and how in the hell he was going to get her out of there if necessary.

"Leviathan?" repeated Liara, shock coloring her tone as she rested her head against the headrest, "I thought we they were on our side, I mean, Shepard talked them into giving war aid."

"Yeah, I read the report," said Joker as he watched the monitor, trying not to look at the black screens above his head, "I have a feeling she didn't talk to all of them. Damn, what is with everyone going rogue? I mean, first Major Asshole, now this Justicar friend of Samara's and now ancient mechanical squids? Has the galaxy gone crazy or something?"

"Who knows why, Joker," sighed Liara, "all I know is we have to watch our backs and hope that more of our friends haven't turned against us as well."

"I still can't believe what Kaidan did," said Joker quietly, turning in his chair to face Liara, he had not voiced his concerns about Kaidan's betrayal to Elissa for fear of upsetting her further, she had already taken his backstabbing more to heart than anyone else on the crew, "I mean, it just seems so unlike him, but I guess we might not have known the real Kaidan Alenko."

"And even if we asked him, how would we know if he was telling the truth?" commented Liara, "We'd need pretty compelling evidence to prove any story he told us."

"No shit," chuckled Joker and he felt his blood run cold as his eyes returned to the monitor, Falere was sitting up in the bed, everyone's gun was pointed at her.

"Falere," said Hannah calmly as everyone around her drew their weapon, she put her weapon back on her hip, holding her hands up in a stance of surrender to try and lighten the mood of the situation, "we're here to help, you need to trust us."

"No!" exclaimed Falere, here eyes glowing, all of her still unhealed injuries also emitting an unearthly glow, "You are here to stop me, and I cannot allow that!" Her voice was not the dulcet tones that they had heard before, instead it was a rough combination of her organic voice and what sounded like Leviathan's mechanical one.

"So much for that idea," mumbled Hannah as she reached for her pistol, only to be knocked on her back by biotic shot from Falere as she stood up, Hannah felt the air leave her lungs she was still alive but breathing was difficult.

"Open fire!" called Jacob, Tali, Kasumi, James, and EDI all began shooting at Falere as Jacob moved to assist Hannah, suddenly a large blast from Falere threw him, Chakwas, Hannah, and Tali through the glass of the medbay windows. They landed in the hallway, Jacob could feel some pieces of glass sticking in his arms but right now, he was far more concerned with the indoctrinated Ardat-Yakshi that was going on a rampage.

"Oh SHIT!" exclaimed Joker as he watched the monitor go black, having been destroyed in the blast, he knew he needed to get the rest of the crew to safety or at least get them away from Falere's blast zone, he opened up the comm ship-wide, "Attention Normandy crew, get your asses somewhere safe, we have a crazy Asari on the loose. I repeat, get yourselves to safety."

"Eloquently said, Joker," said Liara cooly as she adjusted herself in the chair.

"You know what, Liara, how about the next time we experience a crisis, you write the announcements?" snapped Joker as his fingers flew across the board, trying in earnest to secure the kinetic barriers in the shuttle bay, engineering, and the bridge.

"Joker, can we come in here?" asked Hadley, there were a few other crew members behind him from CIC and Joker nodded, letting them onto the bridge right before the barriers sealed them inside.

"Joker," said Jacob through his ear piece, "we just heard the kinetic barriers go up, have you gotten ahold of Shepard yet?"

"Negative," said Joker, his voice catching in his throat, "all communications, incoming and outgoing, have been cut off somehow. If we can get EDI up here, we might be able to figure out how to shut it down, hell if I can get video I'd consider it good."

"Mr. Moreau, I am always here," said EDI, through the bridge's intercom, "I will help you locate the source of the communications jam."

"Thanks, EDI," said Joker, smiling.

"Well, we kind of have a situation here," said Jacob, he had moved himself and Hannah to the nearest hallway, Chakwas and Tali were sitting beside them, "Hannah's hurt bad, and EDI's body is still in the medbay with Falere and the others, I have Chakwas and Tali with me but I'm about to send Chakwas to engineering with Hannah."

"Alright, EDI and I are going to try and get in contact with Shepard," said Joker sternly, "Joker out."

Chakwas nodded and helped Hannah stand up, Tali and Jacob provided cover fire as they moved towards the elevator door. Jacob watched as Chakwas hit the button and the elevator door slid into place, he then turned back to Falere, James and the rest were already firing at her even though they were still sitting on the floor more than likely too injured to walk.

"Aim for that thing on her neck!" shouted Jacob and he saw Kasumi and James nod, now aiming their guns at Falere's neck, unfortunately Falere heard him as well and went running past him not even stopping to fire a single biotic attack against him or Tali. He watched as she rounded the corner, heading towards the kitchen, he took advantage of the minor break as a chance to regroup with the remaining crew members.

"What the hell was that?" asked James as he stood up on shaky legs, he looked down at his arms and saw a few cuts, he could also feel blood running down his forehead.

"Falere's under the control of Leviathan," said Jacob as he helped Kasumi to her feet.

"At least she's not a Banshee," said Tali, her voice shaky but calm.

"Status report," said Jacob, "How badly are we all injured?"

"My arms are pretty scraped up, kind of like yours and I think I busted my head or it's just a cut," said James, looking down again at his arms.

"Yeah, my arms and I think my back are cut up too," said Jacob, feeling a few sharp pains in his shoulder blades, "Tali?"

"A few tears in my suit but nothing too pressing," said Tali, then she sighed, "and the glass in my helmet's cracked, wonderful."

"Kasumi?" asked Jacob.

"Bump on the head and I think a few cuts as well, I'll live," reported Kasumi, pulling her hood back over her head, "How's Hannah?"

"Don't know," sighed Jacob, "she seemed well enough to stand but she still needed help from Chakwas, I hope she's alright."

"She will be," said Tali firmly, "Now, we need to come up with a plan on how to stop Falere from destroying the crew and the _Normandy_, any ideas?"

"We haven't proven that 'shoot the neck thing' idea wrong yet," said James a smug grin on his face as he picked up his gun.

"That's true," sighed Jacob, "Okay, so what's plan B incase plan A backfires?"

"Shoot her out of the airlock?" suggested Kasumi.

"That would have worked if the airlock wasn't on the floor above us," said Jacob, "I don't know about you but I really don't want to be in an enclosed space with that thing."

"Agreed," said Tali, "What if we pushed her towards the main battery? Then we could manually open the hatch underneath the cannon and she's forced out that way."

"I guess that could work," said Jacob warily, "The only problem is we don't have our helmets and if we aren't pulled in with Falere, we'd be killed anyway from the lack of oxygen."

"Damn," said Tali bitterly, "Wait! What if Kasumi goes to the crew quarters and gets some spare helmets?"

"I guess it could work," said James thoughtfully, "If Kasumi's sure she can do it."

"Child's play," said Kasumi smugly and she activated her cloaking device, "I'll be back in a few, just keep Falere occupied while I'm gone."

"Can do," said Jacob, chuckling as they heard her walk away.

"Alright, I guess we have an Ardat-Yakshi to distract," said Jacob, pulling his gun up off the floor.

"Wait, where's EDI?" asked Tali, they all looked around and saw a devastating scene, EDI's body was mangled. The blast had ripped open her chest and exposed the wires and circuits on the inside, her head was barely hanging on to her neck, her legs were both at odd angles and her arms were wrapped up in wires that had fallen from the ceiling as a result of the blast.

"EDI!" exclaimed Tali, rushing over to the AI's side, "Are you alright? Speak to me."

"Admiral Zorah, you are aware that I am still here," said EDI, her orb self popping up at its usual station in the medbay, "It is just my mobile form that has been destroyed."

"Oh, right," said Tali bashfully, "I forgot that you're actually the ship, guess I've gotten used to seeing you walk around like the rest of the crew."

"I am pleased to know that my mobile platform will be missed," said EDI almost cheerfully, "Lieutenant Taylor, I have located Falere's position, she is currently standing in the center of the mess hall with chairs and tables floating around her in a type of gravitational pull."

"So now she has projectiles," sighed James, "Great, how do you stop something like this?"

"I guess now we have to make sure she doesn't fire those projectiles at us while we fire at her" said Tali, checking her thermal clip, "I don't have enough ammo for a long fight."

James checked his own clip, "Neither do I, what about you, Jacob?"

Jacob sighed, "Not even close to enough."

"Too far away from the armory to get anymore, so I guess we make our stand here," said James, clicking his thermal clip back into place, "Is Kasumi back yet?"

"Speak of the Devil and he shall appear," said Kasumi, four masks in her hands, she passed them out, "I wasn't sure if your helmet would hold, so I brought you a mask as well, Tali."

"Thank you, Kasumi," said Tali, looking at the mask that would only cover her nose and mouth, "I'll put it on before we head to the battery."

"Whatever floats your boat, Sparky," teased James as he put his mask on over his mouth, "Should we get this started?"

"Yeah," said Jacob, putting his mask on, "I hope Shepard's having better luck than we are right now."

* * *

"Do you think we're close to finding Remaldia?" asked Miranda as they walked into a very warm, very bright room. Elissa closed her eyes, the change from a room that was pitch black to a room that had a fair amount of light was extremely painful for her eyes to adjust to immediately.

"Well, well, well," said a voice, the voice echoed throughout the large room.

"Yeah, I think we're close, Miranda," said Elissa cooly, she was grateful when her eyes stopped hurting and she was able to open them again, when she did she could see that they were surrounded save for the small space around the door they had just entered from. There were young Asari all around them, the only separation they had between them was a few large metal crates that were stacked together in a barrier type of structure. Her eyes scanned the rest of the scene, there were rafters and beams above, the walls after a few feet were made of earth, beneath their feet was a small stretch of floor that connected the walls of the room and lava filled in the rest.

"Remaldia," said Samara, her tone calm yet still full of malice, "Why have you done this? You know this goes against everything we stand for."

Elissa looked up to a platform across the room, she could see a tall and willowy Asari woman pacing across the metal platform, her heels making small clicking noises as she walked.

Remaldia laughed sending an eerie chill down Elissa's spine, "These are desperate times, Justicar, we can not pick and choose our allies as you are already aware. Working with a Spectre? Least of all, a human Spectre. My, my, we have gotten desperate haven't we?"

"Shepard as an ally is far more impressive than an army of Ardat-Yakshi," said Samara boldly and Elissa wished she had not said that, she felt the mood in the room change instantly, now all eyes that were on them held disdain.

"How are you able to command them?" asked Elissa, finding her voice at last, "From what I've seen, Ardat-Yakshi are not the most cooperative people."

"You speak of their instability," said Remaldia, her voice eerily familiar to Elissa, "and you are right to a point, they were unstable, but I have found a way to remedy this."

"Impossible," said Samara quickly, "Ardat-Yakshi are unable to control the power that grows within them, especially after sexual intercourse, and I have already determined that you have allowed them to experience this."

"Still too smart for your own good, I see," said Remaldia, her tone softening slightly as she stared down at them, her focus mainly on Samara.

Elissa glanced at Samara, trying to silently ask her a question about her relationship with Remaldia, though by the stony face Samara was exhibiting it was difficult to say whether or not she understood what she was trying to convey.

"Why, Remaldia? Why have you broken the Code and gathered these women?" asked Samara her tone suggesting hints of melancholy.

"I have only one reason: revenge," said Remaldia, her hands clutching the railing, "Revenge against those who took my daughters away from me."

"Revenge against who exactly?" asked Elissa, her eyes darting between Remaldia and the Ardat-Yakshi that were staring them down, "The Asari race as a whole? The people at the monastery? Against the Justicars?"

"Their turn will come," said Remaldia as she resumed her pacing, "until that time comes, I want revenge against the women who killed my eldest, you Commander Shepard and the Justicar Samara."

Elissa's blood went cold, she knew now this situation was much worse and much more personal than what Samara had made it out to be, "Wait, who was your daughter?"

"You should know her name, Shepard," said Remaldia, "You assisted the Justicar in ensuring her death, you acted as bait for her lulling her into a false sense of security, her name she should be engraved in your memory like it is in mine. My daughter's name was Morinth."

"Oh shit," said Garrus quietly, he had been one of the few that had been told of Samara's plan and knew how it had ended.

Elissa realized now why Remaldia's voice sounded so familiar, it was Morinth's, she turned to Samara completely astounded at this news, "This is your bond mate? Your bond mate is the one we've been after this entire time?! Why didn't you tell me?"

"Remaldia was my bond mate, but we ceased to be so when I accepted the Code," said Samara, her face now a mask.

"How quickly you dismiss the centuries we spent together," said Remaldia bitterly, "The moment you saw what our daughters were, you threw us aside, not wanting to associate yourself with a family that would bring you shame."

"That still doesn't explain the army, Remaldia," said Elissa calmly, she could see out the corner of her eye Garrus and Miranda getting themselves into a prime position.

"When my daughters were found to be Ardat-Yakshi, Samara went to her friend Councilor Tevos and asked what should be done," said Remaldia, a small grin on her face, Elissa could tell she enjoyed regaling this story, "We were given a choice, either they go and live in the monastery on Lessus or they will be executed on the spot, Falere and Rila chose to go to the monastery as you well know Commander. Morinth ran away and Samara followed her, claiming she needed to be stopped because of her abilities and the Asari people agreed but I saw what others failed to see in my daughters and in other Ardat-Yakshi, that they have gifts which should be embraced instead of hidden away. I realized their full potential after watching Morinth over the years, and seeing what she had done with her abilities. I became a Justicar so I could track her down without restrictions and ask her to come home and join me in uniting the other Ardat-Yakshi. Before I could, however, Samara found her first and you assisted in killing her. Now, I have completed my goal of uniting the Ardat-Yakshi in even bigger ways than I could have ever imagined possible."

"What do you mean?" asked Elissa, her heart racing.

"I found a way to control the Ardat-Yakshi through a mutual friend of ours, Commander," said Remaldia a sly grin stretching across her face.

"What mutual friend?" asked Elissa, her brow furrowing.

"Leviathan," said Remaldia, a satisfied air about her now, "They might have agreed to assist you in the war but they had long ago agreed to assist me in my ambitions."

"Why would Leviathan agree to help you?" asked Garrus harshly.

"It recognized the potential, as I have," said Remaldia, smiling down at the Ardat-Yakshi below her, "It has given me the ability to control the Ardat-Yakshi with unyielding obedience."

"How?" asked Samara, "Ardat-Yakshi have never been known to bend to the will of another except through . . . indoctrination."

Remaldia's smile became even larger, "Excellently deduced, Justicar, yes it is through indoctrination that I am able to command some of the more strong willed Ardat-Yakshi, the others obey me as I have told them of their gifts and how to use them effectively. They enjoy the power and freedom I have given them, so they obey me to maintain this."

"Why did you take the dead bodies of the Ardat-Yakshi that resisted?" asked Elissa though in her mind she had a feeling she already knew the answer.

"Amazingly enough, the Leviathan's gift allows even the dead to obey me," said Remaldia pointing to a small group at the rear, "These girls were the ones who resisted my offer, though as you can see, it did not do them much good."

"What about Falere?" asked Elissa, sensing that an attack was about to happen soon and wanting to know all of the answers to her questions.

"I left her body behind as a gift to Samara and to your crew, Commander," said Remaldia.

Elissa felt her blood boil, "She's indoctrinated isn't she?"

"As a matter of fact, she is," said Remaldia, "And she should be awake right about now."

"What did you tell her to do?" asked Elissa darkly, cocking her gun audibly.

"Kill anyone who resists," said Remaldia in a low voice and the Ardat-Yakshi began firing at them, Elissa and Garrus dove for the closest barrier, Miranda and Samara across from the behind the second barrier. Samara and Miranda immediately brought up a large force shield around their section of the room, blocking all incoming biotic shots but allowing for gun shots to be fired to the outside area.

"Do you think they're alright on the _Normandy_?" asked Elissa as she began firing at the nearest Ardat-Yakshi.

"It's our crew, Shepard, have a little faith," said Garrus over the commotion, "I'm sure they're fine, we just need to get the hell off of this rock first."

* * *

"Shit, she's tougher than she looks!" called James as he dove behind a knocked over table, firing a few well placed shots at Falere's outstretched hands, blowing off a couple of her fingers.

"James!" shouted Kasumi, appalled that James had shot off some of Falere's fingers, "We're trying to save her not maim her!"

"Can't be helped, Shadow!" called James as another chair came flying at him.

"Shadow?" asked Jacob as he fired at Falere, missing his initial target but hitting her shoulder instead.

"Just thought of it," said James as he was joined by Tali, "Okay, I really think we need to start aiming for her head!"

"Affirmative!" shouted Jacob and Kasumi appeared next to him.

"Maybe I could try to get that thing on her neck," said Kasumi, activating her cloaking device, "If we can get that, maybe we can still save her life."

"It's better than our plan B at this point," said James as he reloaded his gun with what remaining ammunition he had left, "We really need to think of something, we're running out of bullets."

"Keep her busy," said Kasumi, though her voice was now coming from behind Tali, "I need her completely distracted while I do this, if she suspects for a second that I'm close, she'll more than likely kill me."

James gulped as he fired another shot at Falere's leg, "Please, Shadow, don't say shit like that."

"Don't worry, big guy, I have no intention of dying today," said Kasumi and her tone suggested that she was smiling.

"What if this kills Falere?" asked Tali, as she loaded her pistol, "I mean, it is her neck after all."

"It probably will," said Jacob grimly, "but it's better than the alternative, and if it brings her peace, then so be it."

"I can't agree with you more," said Kasumi, "I'm ready to go when you all are."

"How many bullets do you have in your gun?" asked James, pulling five more out from his pocket he was not aware he had until that moment.

"Three, more than enough if this works," said Kasumi confidently, "Alright, keep her distracted, and I'll see you on the other side."

Everyone nodded as they resumed heavy fire on Falere, she started firing more biotic shots their way, each one getting more and more powerful Jacob knew it was only a matter of time before her powers became enough to do some serious damage to the hull of the ship.

"Come on, Kasumi," said Jacob quietly as he put the last of his ammunition into his rifle, "Don't let us down now, girl."

"Jacob, I'm down to my last bullet," called James as a metal table came flying at his head, barely missing his forehead by inches.

"God dammit," muttered Jacob, tossing his remaining bullets across the gap to James, "make them count, Vega."

"You know I will," said James smiling as he loaded his gun once again.

"Kasumi just fired her first shot," reported Tali, she had been watching for the tell tale shimmer of Kasumi's cloaking device and then saw the bullet speeding away from her gun.

"Guess it didn't work," said James dejectedly, "Keep firing!"

They continued to fire, Tali managing a few torso shots while James shot out her right hand, although it was gory there was a benefit.

"One less biotic weapon to worry about," observed Jacob as Falere screamed out in agony.

"Kasumi better fire that damn shot and fast," said Tali as she put her last clip in her pistol.

"Look!" called Jacob and they saw Kasumi emerge from under her cloak, walking up behind Falere and putting the gun directly on the control device and fired her second bullet. From where they were sitting Jacob, Tali, and James could hear the shattering of the device and watched in horror as the power that kept Falere alive drained away, leaving nothing but a hollow corpse behind.

"Holy shit," whistled James as he carefully stood up from behind the table, "I thought . . . oh my God, Shadow . . . good job."

"I don't think I've ever seen you speechless before, James," said Kasumi as she wiped Falere's blood from her face.

"Damn, Kasumi," said Jacob, just as surprised as James, "I guess plan 'shoot the neck thing' actually worked thanks to you."

"Keelah, I'm glad we didn't have to space her," said Tali, shuddering as she too emerged from behind the barrier.

"No one, no matter what they've turned into, deserves that death," said Kasumi grimly as she looked down at Falere's body, it was riddled with numerous bullet wounds yet she had still been able to stand and fight, "Why do you think that worked? I mean, look at some of the shots we got in, she should've been dead ten different times."

"Remember that rapid healing process Chakwas mentioned?" said Tali, also looking at Falere's body, "I think that's what kept her alive so long, Leviathan must've been keeping her physical form alive and when Kasumi shattered the thing on her neck, it broke the connection and allowed her to die."

"Either way, it stopped her," said James, wiping blood away from his eyes, "What should we do with her body?"

"That's for Samara and Shepard to decide," said Jacob, "Until they return, we should probably take the shards of that mind control device and put them in the lab and wrap Falere's body in a blanket and put it in the life support room. If she's not really dead, I want to minimize the access she has to the rest of the ship."

"Tali and I can gather the pieces if James will wrap up her body," suggested Kasumi, already picking up the tiny pieces.

"Here, put them in this," said Tali, producing a leather pouch from one of her many pockets.

"Much appreciated," said Kasumi as she placed the shards in the pouch.

"Tell Joker we're secure down here," said James as he searched around for a blanket, determining that he would have to go to the crew's quarters and find one there.

"Hey Joker," said Jacob through his ear piece, "Falere's been taken down, we need a clean up crew down here asap. How's everything going on your end?"

"Traynor, EDI, and I are still trying to get through all of the static but we do have a fuzzy picture right now," said Joker, his voice tight as he spoke, "I'll send the clean up crew, just give me a few to take down the kinetic barriers."

"Roger that, Joker," said Jacob, "Over and out." He stood there in the mess, the kitchen was the only thing left standing, everything else was destroyed, there were even chunks missing from the walls from where the tables and chairs hit before landing. _'Shepard, I hope you're doing as well as we have,'_ thought Jacob as he started picking up the knocked over furniture.

* * *

Elissa fired a perfect head shot at the nearest Ardat-Yakshi, and she went down quickly but when she tried it on the next one, she remained standing as if nothing had hit her at all.

"What the hell?" muttered Elissa as she reloaded her assault rifle, "Why didn't she fall?"

"I don't know, Shepard," said Garrus as he sniped an Ardat-Yakshi who was standing in the rear of the group, "but I have a feeling this isn't going to be easy."

Elissa instinctively flinched as a large ball of biotic energy came straight for her, luckily the barrier Miranda and Samara had created was still standing, protecting them not only from the Ardat-Yakshi attacks but also from the falling debris.

"Shepard," called Miranda, from what Elissa could see she looked exhausted and about to pass out, it must have been pure determination and stubbornness that was keeping her from falling over, "I've been watching where some of the shots from the Ardat-Yakshi have been rebounding, the structure of this building isn't indefinite, a few more powerful shots and—"

She was cut off when a rumbling was felt underneath their feet, the entire room seemed to be shaking as rafters fell from the ceiling, taking down a few Ardat-Yakshi in the process.

"Please tell me that's not what I think it is," said Elissa worriedly.

"Volcanic eruption!" shouted Miranda, "We need to get out of here!"

"What about them?" asked Elissa, pointing to the Ardat-Yakshi and Remaldia who was now running around her platform in a panic, she stood up from behind the metal crate barrier ready to charge in and save a few of the girls from the horrible fate she knew would befall them.

"It's too late, Shepard," said Garrus calmly, putting his arm on her shoulder to keep her from bolting, "We have to get out of here, it's either us or no one."

Elissa looked at the faces of the indoctrinated Ardat-Yakshi, as much as she wanted to save them, she knew it would be a suicide run, closing her eyes and steeling her heart she looked to Samara and Miranda, "Keep the barrier up until we get through the door, we'll all walk together and get out but we need that shield!"

"Roger that, Commander," said Miranda, she seemed renewed in her efforts to maintain the force shield and started walking backwards with Samara falling into step beside her. Garrus and Shepard started walking as well, firing at as many Ardat-Yakshi as they could, Elissa was determined to at least save as many girls from the fiery death that awaited them. Elissa felt the cold metal of the door against her head and she reached for the handle, fumbling with it until she heard the satisfying click of door as it opened, Garrus slipped through the door as she continued to fire at the encroaching Asari.

"Go, Miranda!" commanded Elissa and she motioned with her rifle for Miranda to go through the door. Miranda nodded and walked through, leaving Samara and Elissa in the room with the army surrounding them.

"On three, Samara," said Elissa as she felled another Ardat-Yakshi, "One . . . two . . . three!" On three Samara brought the force shield down and almost at the same time dove through the door with Elissa, both women landing on the metal floor, and before Elissa could blink she heard the large metal door shut behind them.

Garrus bolted the door shut and ran over to Elissa, helping her to her feet and handing her rifle back to her, "Can you walk?"

Elissa nodded and looked at Miranda, she was practically dead on her feet, "Get Miranda, I don't think she'll last much longer."

Garrus sprinted over and put her arm around his neck and wrapped his other arm around her waist, supporting her as best he could, "Lets go!"

Samara and Elissa sprinted ahead, which proved difficult as the entire facility was now shaking violently as the impending eruption made its presence known, they managed to get to the exit just as they heard a large crack.

"Go! Go!" shouted Elissa as she put on her helmet and opened the door, Samara running out after she quickly put her helmet back on. Elissa closed the door until Garrus got closer to the exit, he was maneuvering the best he could with Miranda clinging to him, she handed them their helmets and they put them on, Garrus nodding when they were ready and she opened the door, all three of them rushing out. Elissa barely had the door closed when the earth beneath their feet began to shake and she fell backwards but managed to land on her side, she scrambled to her feet and followed the others across the narrow strip of land, she was just about to try and radio Steve when she saw the shuttle sitting there already.

Elissa smiled as they continued running towards the shuttle, as they neared the door it opened and she watched as Samara leapt in and helped Garrus get Miranda into the shuttle, Elissa jumping in just as they heard the facility behind them explode.

"Get us fucking airborne!" shouted Elissa as soon as Steve closed the door and Steve did not need to be told twice, he quickly punched in the take off sequence and they were off the ground before the lava made it to the landing area.

"Do we have contact with the _Normandy_?" asked Garrus as he stood behind Elissa and Steve.

"Nothing yet," said Steve, as he maneuvered them around a blast of lava, "I've been trying like crazy, but nothing so far."

"Shit," muttered Garrus as he sat down.

"Lisa," groaned Miranda, propping herself up on her elbow, "We need to get off of this planet, some volcanic explosions can set off chains, and if what EDI said was true we could be looking at blasts that could even hit us from up here."

Elissa silently cursed in her head, the stream of profanity too long and great to be spoken aloud, "Can't something just go according to plan, just once? Is that too much to ask for?"

"When you're concerned, yes it is," said Garrus, throwing her a smirk.

"Brace yourselves!" shouted Steve as he made a sharp right turn in order to avoid a column of lava. Garrus and Elissa were thrown against the wall and they scrambled to get into a seat, Samara helping Miranda into one before harnessing herself. Elissa watched helplessly. through the windshield as another column of lava shot up in front of them.

* * *

Joker started another sequence to try and regain communications with the ground party, he had tried nearly every one he knew, his desperation growing as he watched the static images on the monitors overhead. He was glad when he saw Elissa get out of the room full of Ardat-Yakshi but her pace was what worried him, she was moving too fast for a simple retreat, something more was happening. Joker watched as the entrance to the facility came into view, he knew that much by how much slower Elissa was moving, a wave of relief watching over him as they left and he could tell even at this distance that the shuttle was there even if it was just a fuzzy blur. He held his breath when the screens went black for a few seconds for a unknown reasons, he wanted to scream and cry out but he knew it would be for nothing if what he thought had happened actually had.

"Joker!" said Samantha triumphantly, "I've regained communications!"

Joker nearly jumped out of his seat and he pressed the button quickly, not even caring if he fractured his finger in the process.

"Steve! Do you copy?!" said Joker in a slightly manic voice, "Come in Normandy shuttle! Do you copy?! Come in anyone!"

"Joker!" said Steve his voice ringing loud and clear in the cockpit, "We need an emergency evac now!"

"Roger that, Steve." said Joker, "Is Shepard and the ground team with you?"

"Yes," said Elissa, her voice coming in through his private channel, "Yes, Jeff, I'm here."

"Elissa?!" exclaimed Joker, almost crying out of relief, "Oh thank God. I'll be right there, just keep an eye out for a sleek and magnificent ship with a sexy pilot to match headed towards you."

Elissa laughed and he felt his face crack into a huge grin, "Will do, Jeff, see you soon."

_'She's alive, she's alive,'_ thought Joker as he started the sequence for the emergency evacuation, he played this mantra in his head as he flew at top speed to the planet, glad to see the shuttle was about to exit the atmosphere. He slowed down as they neared each other, the hatch door opening and he watched as the shuttle glided right into the shuttle bay and he closed the hatch. Before heading down there himself, he activated the Normandy's FTL drive, his hands shaking with so much excitement he almost could not hit the right buttons.

"EDI, take over," said Joker, jumping from his seat, "I'll be back later, right now, I need to see Shepard with my own eyes."

"Of course, Jeff," said EDI the orb.

Joker looked at the orb and smiled, as grateful and curious as he was about EDI's attitude, his desire to hold Elissa in his arms again was more and he ran as fast as his legs would carry him down the CIC and into the elevator. With still trembling hands, he pushed the button for the shuttle bay, eager and relieved that he would be able to greet the woman he loved yet again.


End file.
